The cracked area is obviously still visible here, but some Howard's Restore-a-Finish did a pretty good job of hiding the crack and improving the overall finish.
The bad side of the crack faces the back of the lamp where the cord exits the base, so I lucked out there. I managed to get out some of the dent in the gold aluminum cone but I have the remaining dents facing the back also, so the front of the lamp looks pretty good now.
I put a red-colored compact fluorescent bulb in, and it looks pretty good with the perforated screen.
This last shot is with the room lights out - it casts a nice red glow. I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, but I need to invest in a solid shade of walnut stain, which I think would work better at hiding a repaired crack.
Thanks to Mr. Modtomic, I have a pretty good idea that my lamp originally had a tulip-shaped globe that went around the perforated mesh as seen in the lamp below, available here. That's a heckuva lamp!
Fining another globe like that will be quite a challenge, I'm sure. Maybe I can find a vintage plastic drinking cup and cut a hole in the bottom...hmmmm
It turned out Very well! I really like it with a red light in it, will it be going down to the basement? (Have I told you how much I envy it of late?) Haha And theres no chance that maybe where you got the lamp might have seperated the shade?
ReplyDeleteMost likely it will go in the basement Mick. I'm pretty sure the seller didn't have a globe for it
DeleteNice repair! My son-in-law found a sputnik lamp with 10 cool glass shades a few months ago. His wife (my daughter) dropped the box of shades and broke 4 of them. Then I broke one more and cracked one. I asked my SIL if I should invite his mom over so all the women in his life could say they took a shot at them. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dana - I LOOOOVE our Sputnik lamps
DeleteYour lamp restoration is su-weet :->
ReplyDeleteWe have a mom/pop lighting store in my town that might be able to help with the shade. They have everything!
Check out the post I did about them here:
http://georgiapeachez.typepad.com/georgiapeachez/2011/09/studio-lighting-a-gem-of-a-store-in-hampton.html
They are very helpful.
Wow Suzy, I'm going to have to try that lamp store - amazing pics in your blog. Thanks!
DeleteUncle A, I still think this is original as is. Unless you see some obvious place for another globe on the outside of the preforated brass I think it looks just great! I've been a big fan of Howards Restor-A-Finish for years and am now a dealer of their products. You may, as an addition to your arsenal of tools add some Mohawk touch up pens in some different shades that allow for a fast dry alternative to applying the much more slow drying stains. They work great for small touch ups like this and cover where the RAF won't do the trick.
ReplyDeleteYou did such a fantastic restoration, as usual. I agree that the perforated brass shade may have been the original. The lamp looks amazing as it is.
ReplyDeleteOOOHHH AHHH! - from the peanut gallery! Looks so good. You make the wood look better than original. I'm going to have to get me some of that product!
ReplyDelete