From the category archives:
A 73-page mid-century Lightolier catalog — now that is some serious eye-candy for whiling away a few hours on a sleepy Sunday. The awesome Gretchen has scanned this entire catalog and posted it as a set on Flickr. Go take a look, I promise it will blog your mind. Also be sure to check out Gretchen’s Eiclerific blog.
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Kitchen photo: Copyright Kit Latham.
One of the highlights of my recent visit to Rejuvenation Lighting in Portland was when historian Bo Sullivan was able to – immediately – identify the vintage pulldown light over my kitchen table. I don’t think I’ve told this story before: One Friday afternoon after a hard day’s work — when I was driving home – I got the idea that I needed a vintage light NOW. This was when I was putting the final details of my kitchen together before contractor Kevin started. So as soon as I got home, I jumped on ebay and with 12 minutes to go spotted the light shown here above the tulip table. Of course, I snapped it up – for $12. Bo knows lighting – he knew exactly who made the light and showed it to me in a catalog —>
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When I visited Rejuvenation on Monday, I was treated to a sneak peek at their latest products just about to be introduced: The Corona pendant lighting fixture… and a mahogany tri-spoke spreader that can be used to group three pendants for dramatic effect.
The Corona — which emulates an original 1959 fixture — has an aluminum pin-hole cylinder around a glass shade. And, the cylinder can also be enamel painted mix-and-match style in 8 colors including Neptune Blue, Aurora Green, Solar Yellow and even Flare Orange. Very ’60s!
The new tri-spoke also can be used with Rejuvenation’s other midcentury pendants, the Aeros, Orbis or Cerise.
Finally – during my visit I had my first opportunity to see this lighting in person. I loved the scale, and the quality.
The new lights are all now on the Rejuvenation website. And you can click through here for some additional photos –
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Ruth of the wonderful blue Geneva kitchen has started her own blog “No Pattern Required”. Look what she posted yesterday – a super-cool GE “Celeste” lightbulb, 9″ tall and the likes of which I’ve never seen before. Ruth lives in Michigan — tons of great stuff there and she has started to nosh on it all!
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Where to find a shade for my vintage ceiling fixture – including those you can set into pulldown fixtures like these vintage Progress lights? A popular question recently – and reader Skyla has found a great resource – mylampparts.com. This place has shades — they actually seem to be called diffusers — in a variety of widths and some pretty groovy designs, too. Price is pretty reasonable. You might also check your local Re-Store/Habitat for Humanity… at mine they often have complete fixtures for as little as $3 – you might want to buy one just for the shade.
Click here for the diffuser page at mylampparts.com… this also seems to be a goldmine for all other … well, lamp parts, as well. Thank you, Skyla, for your ace retro-detective work!
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Retroppo aka Michelle – one of our readers from Australia – sends us this Found Objects Found Art contest entry:
Hi Pam,
here is my entry. When we first moved into our house 20 years ago, the old couple we bought off left lots of goodies for us to keep. Including a 1940’s art deco tray moblie & of all things a malibu surfboard! We aso found this wall sconce in a box in the garage which was originally we think in the longeroom before they did a reno in the 70’s. We haven’t yet found a place for it, maybe when we do up my daughter’s room, it can go in there or it will have to wait until we do that much anticipated extension, but that’s also been put off due to the doom & gloom that has been forecast. Have a nice day & thanks for accepting my entry, cheers, Michelle x (retroppo)
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With the growing popularity of all things retro, it’s great to see more manufacturers bringing authentic reproductions back to life. Case in point: Rejuvenation – long known for it Arts & Crafts, Colonial Revival, and Deco-era reproductions – introduced its first off-shoot brand “Satellite” last year.
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Cadman writes:
Pam, I wanted to tip you and your readers off on some fantastic NOS light fixtures for sale that might be of interest. The trouble? This alert is likely only good for your Iowa readers.
A while back there was a discussion about the in-ceiling square recessed lights and how chrome trim is no longer available (nor it seems more than 1 or 2 common sizes). The Cedar Rapids ReStore has come into old inventory of these lights, still wrapped in 1958 newspaper from the factory and many sealed in their original dusty boxes. There’s an assortment of sizes and glass options as well, and a 5 or 10 spot is all they’re asking. Heavy-Duty all the way around.
We don’t get down to CR too often but managed to make the trek in an icestorm this past weekend on a search for RED carpet and we couldn’t not drop-in. -Cadman
Thank you, Cadman. Can someone go get these, please!
Above: Progress lights from my fabulous 1961 Progress catalog.
Related posts:
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Anita has been decorating away! She scored a wonderful pair of chartreuse oriental figurine lamps – then topped them with shades from Meteor Lights. In addition, take a look at the way she’s used vintage grasscloth – and even a surfboard – in her mantletop display. I’m ready to tiki at your house, Anita!
3 more great photos…
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I’m a huge fan of Saarinen tulip tables – so of course, took a liking to this Ada table lamp by CB2. In case you don’t know, CB2 is the separate mid mod line by Crate & Barrel. They have a lot of great stuff for 60s 70s and 80s retro renovations. This lamp is only $60. One caution: Don’t overdo the tulip shape – one application (a table & chairs OR pair of lamps) is likely enough.
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