I like glowing things.
A few weeks back I ventured (gloved, masked and with Lysol & large plastic tubs waiting in the truck) to a local Goodwill store. I needed cheap cotton work clothes. While there, I found this lamp. For half off the listed price.
It’s a 9×4 inch Hollywood Regency style crystal boudoir lamp, age indeterminate, although I would put it anywhere from 1960 to the late 1980’s. It’s certainly modeled after vintage Mid-century ‘luxe’ table lamps.
Possibly, several lamps went into this: the etched crystal base and faceted beads far exceed the plastic spacers in quality. The spacers were originally gold-plated, and much of that had worn off, so they might be original.
The lamp was dirty, covered in candle wax (except for the socket, a huge relief), and the electrical cord was discolored and cracked. Not a good sign.
At worst, I figured I was buying old lamp parts and three huge crystal beads for $1.74.
After a good round of sanitizing spray, I took it apart, with photos at every stage. Cleaned the crystal, sanded rust off the threaded tube, cleaned and repainted the plastic spacers a muted antique bronze.
I considered some wood spacers for more earthy elegance, or glass beaded ones for more sparkle. The plastic spacers were sound. They only needed surface treatment to be serviceable.
My local hardware store provided a new cord and a color-changing LED fairy-light bulb I’d been considering for a year or two. Those came out to around $18. I could have bought them cheaper online, but I like my local Ace Hardware. They put up with me and my odd projects. They checked the socket on this lamp to make sure it was safe!
It is absurdly easy to rewire a small lamp like this. It helps to have snips, wire strippers, and needle nose pliers. And if, like me, it’s been 35 years since you rewired a lamp, the internet is a helpful source for DIY diagrams and instructions.
Here is the rebuilt 14×4 inch lamp in natural light.
And here it is lit up. The LED garland drifts through white, blue, green, amber, red, and purple sparks, inside its clear bulb.
I’m fairly happy with how this lamp turned out. Since it was a ‘can I do this’ project, I’m not obsessed with it. I’ll probably put it up for sale.
Some glitzy glass-beaded spacer beads might make it *even shinier*, but I’ve got other large clear lamp beads in stock (not the first old lamp I’ve torn down!) So I might be looking at more lamp parts.
I still have a vague fantasy of an accent lamp similar to this in my ‘dream’ art studio…