Antique Light Fixture Questions

[JacquieJet]

Lights need to be safe so rewiring will happen before any installation. I am still thinking about the best places they could be installed. After I get the nightmare bathroom calcimine paint situation and plaster repairs done, then the kitchen and powder room are next. There is a LOT to contend with in both those rooms. I am thinking the powder room and entry way might be good places for these fixtures, but replacing any lighting is a ways off in the future.

In the interim I picked up three 1940's triple chain fixtures for the bedrooms, for $ 5.00 a piece ! They will replace those terrible "boob lights" from the big box store. One of the boob lights has some new fangled LED bulb thing with prongs. The quality of the light is so muddy and low. Even a 40W bulb from the dollar store shining through a deep pink shade will be a great improvement.

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Funny enough, I have the exact same pink shade sitting on my loft floor right now with a bunch of other lights. I bought it as part of a lot of antique lighting that came out of a 1906 house that was being gutted... When I saw your pic, I was like HEY! That looks familiar! lol. Nice

[Jamie]

Here is a picture showing the base unit for this style of light. The “ears” twist under the “spring connectors”. The main drawback is the recessed brass screws on the outside of the top piece are live.


This light was in the pantry in my old New York State house. It has been rewired and installed onto a ceiling pan for a half way legal installation.

[Willa]

All the info plus pics has been very helpful.

Jamie - the live brass screws - yikes !!!!

[Texas_Ranger]

Sounds like those screw holes should have been filled with some kind of isolating putty! I think I'd have used a flat piece of sheet metal to mount that old base to a modern ceiling box, painted the same colour as the ceiling.

[House_BuhBooLis]

I spent some time looking at the antique lighting catalogs via the link in the reference section. I was surprised that gas lights were still available c. 1910, and also that what I had thought about dates for certain styles were off by about ten years. An excellent resource !

Gas lights are so neat! I was recently in New Orleans where the antiques ones still abound and there is at least one company (and I believe a few) that still makes new ones! I was tempted.

http://www.bevolo.com/

[Mick_VT]

I converted a pair of gas arms into touch lights in my bathroom one either side of the mirror. You can mess with people by turning on the gas taps and pretending that's what turns the light on

[Lily left the valley]

I converted a pair of gas arms into touch lights in my bathroom one either side of the mirror. You can mess with people by turning on the gas taps and pretending that's what turns the light on

[Jamie]

A house illuminated by gas lights is truly special: tour of a gas lit home

[phil]

I converted a pair of gas arms into touch lights in my bathroom one either side of the mirror. You can mess with people by turning on the gas taps and pretending that's what turns the light on

at our summer place the house is in view of the cabin which is by the lake and very peaceful and romantic...so if any couples come they usually get dibs on the cabin. there is one of those old "clap lamps" in there and of course what never fails to happen is people forget , then after bedtime the lucky couple in the cabin have a way of making it turn on and off in rapid succession. Usually followed by much laughter and lights out

[Lily left the valley]

A house illuminated by gas lights is truly special: tour of a gas lit home

That was really neat. Thanks for sharing that.