The amount of gorgeous vintage lighting available out there is unreal. Often, these fixtures are available for great bargains. Reader Jacquie recently left a comment to let us know that she found one such bargain — a NOS Progress Lighting P 5973. My goodness, it is stunning!
Jacquie wrote:
My husband and I just got home from picking up the P 5973! We just put it up outside the front door, looks sooo sharp! Saw it on CL and had to grab it. The man said it was from his parents store in 1950s, and he just brought everything that was left in the store here to Phoenix from Chicago. It was in a Progress box, he said it was the original box that it came in. I am happy!
Yup, that’s an honest to goodness Progress P 5973 porch light — just like the one Pam was drooling over when she wrote 41 midcentury lighting ideas — post lanterns, lamp posts, wall lanterns and landscaping lights in one of her vintage Progress Lighting catalogs. Seeing one of these in real life — in brand-new condition — is like having the vintage catalog illustration come to life. Wouldn’t it be grand if we could still order from vintage magazines and catalogs? Even though Jacquie didn’t send away for her light, we can pretend that somehow the Retro Decorating Gods fulfilled her order, can’t we?
This fantastic vintage light isn’t all that Jacquie and her husband Glen have uncovered.
Jacquie writes:
Glen and I are the major collectors…we are always finding things we love and trying to grab what we can that may have no chance otherwise. I am careful about what I spend on things though, I feel it is getting really crazy out there with some folks and their unrealistic prices for vintage items.
I thought while I was on the computer today, I would send these out to you as well. I am very proud of my collection, and want to have them installed in a new/older home sometime in the near future. That is our hope anyway! They have been lovingly repaired,cleaned, and stored away till that time!
The fridge works great, and is a nice find, although the other appliances in my kitchen right now are GE woodtone brown. Pam helped me figure that out, she wrote a cool little piece about my “Matchy Matchy kitchen” on her site, I sent her pics of my GE cooktop and oven, and then I found the 40-inch range in the same color and had it installed here. I love them all.
Glen really likes the turquoise, so we started to look for a set of those and started buying!! We just enjoy the “hunt for treasure”..I know you know what I mean!
The dishwasher does have the bottom panel, it just wasn’t on there at the time…it is sooo cool!
We also have a turquoise 1964 Hotpoint custom refrigerator in storage, it is in need of repair, but B_E_A utiful…and a 1959 Hotpoint “Woodland” brown fridge waiting to be fixed. Both are in good shape and just need love.
We have two years till this little (and I DO mean little) 1960 house is paid for, and then I can start to think about another one, I want to keep this one for our family once it is free and clear, it will always be there in case someone needs a place to stay. They just better like my vintage decor!! :o) We are in Arizona by the way…hot country!
I have clocks, dishes, (set of Salem Northstar) and other sets, lamps, coffee percolators, canisters, vintage decorative screen blocks Kent Coffey bedroom, Heywood Wakefield beds, Mersman tables, Lane tables, yada-yada-yada, some of it is in use right now and some waiting for its day. Hey… no kids at home.. it’s just Glen and me and the dogs..we love collecting and it is our passion…a really fun hobby for sure.
Jacquie, both your vintage porch light and aqua appliances are to die for. Kudos to you on your careful and patient vintage hunting. And yay on you for being so close to paying off the mortgage! Thanks for taking the time to share a few of your vintage treasures with us.
Jay says
Nice light fixture! My father was an electrician and as a kid I remember looking at the pictures in his Progress lighting catalogs.Thanks for sharing the appliance photos. Like the push buttons on the dishwasher. In this electronic digital age of touch pads we will never see the likes of such appliance styling again.
Kay Goolsby says
I absolutely love the GE oven and cooktop. Brings back special memories for me. When we moved into our first house in 1965, it had the same GE appliances but in stainless. I loved them and still miss them to this day. I wish I had them now!!
Mary Elizabeth says
First, Jacqui, I just love the light. The design echoes the old-fashioned “carriage light” style (note the non-functioning handle on the top) but with a modern twist (the starburst decoration on the side). A great find for you.
But also, what a beautiful set of turquoise appliances! My personal favorites are the wall oven and cook top. I am going now to look at your present kitchen. Do you and your DH do all the appliance repairs yourself, or have you found someone who is willing to work with the old stuff. I remember in my first house I had an old Frigidaire refrigerator I loved, and the repair man came and said, “Well, it’s going to need a new compressor, a new seal around the door, and blah, blah, which will cost you as much as a new one.” If I hadn’t been 29 at the time, I would have resisted and said, “Well, then just do what it needs.”
Jacquie Y says
Thanks! We have been able to do some things ourselves, but we did have a repair man here in town come and check out everything. He has since moved, so if I buy anything else, I’m gonna be searching for a new repair person too!
Ada says
Nice finds! That lamp is gorgeous! Especially the starburst!!! I’m envious! My house has the original early ’70s front porch lights and they’re lovely, but they’re so…well…they don’t really match the modern vibe the house itself has (they’re actually a bit gothic in feel). I’ve been searching for over a year for replacements and have yet to find something that ‘jumps out at me’…and that comes in a pair! I love yours! That starburst on the side is just heaven! I’m a sucker for starburst anything! And the pinstriping on the front! I could just die!
I also love the appliances! I adore aqua! The late ’40s GE fridge in my basement kitchen is soon to get an aqua makeover and I can’t wait! Just seeing all your aqua has made me excited to ‘get on with it’! I love the detail on that dishwasher, btw! Reminds me of the pattern on my Magic Chef Series IV and the butter door on my Hotpoint in my main kitchen. Little fun details like that can really make your day happier when you see them…even if it’s while doing mundane little chores like cooking or washing dishes! I think we’d be a happier nation if more modern designers would add happy whimsy to our appliances….and lighting (did I mention how much I LUUUUURRRVE that starburst on your porch light?)!!
Jacquie Y says
I find these appliances on CL in Phoenix a lot, there are a lot of upgrade renovations going on. Perhaps you have seen that show on cable where the guys bid on homes in the Valley and they are from all over the country, fix and flippers? Phoenix area was a hot bed for awhile for that so there were lots of old appliances for sale, and still are. Maybe you could find a set and have them shipped by bus, I have heard it’s reasonable, especially if you get them at a reasonable price in the 1st place. I just happen to have a really good negotiator, my DH!
tonya says
Jacquie – Did the seller on Craigslist have anymore lights? I’m looking for some myself AND happen to be in the Phoenix area. Thanks.
Shelly in PHX says
Let me “second” Tonya’s request! Sooooo need to check this stuff out for myself. Thanks!
Jacquie Y says
No, we asked him when we were there if he had more. He only had a few odds and ends left, I’m sorry.
tonya says
Bummer 🙁
But, now you’ve given me an idea of what I’m wanting for porch lights. I’ve been looking for about a year now and nothing’s felt “right”. Those feel right to me. I’ll be searching for a pair of my own!
pam kueber says
i just spotted ONE at a low starting price on ebay this morning. See my lighting finds list, and keep an eagle eye on it daily — https://retrorenovation.com/favorite-vintage-finds-ebay-updated-daily/
MsKittyMuses says
What a wonderful porch light! I LOVE that styling. My husband and I are on the search for one or a set to go by our front door, which currently has only a sad, very dilapidated overhead light. I’ve been stalking your eBay lists Pam, so thank you!
And that dishwasher. I’m dying, that’s so beautiful!
Robin, NV says
That fridge could be the ‘coolest’ appliance I’ve ever seen. Love all the turquoise and that entry light is outta sight!
Jacquie Y says
I’m so glad you like the fridge, I nearly croaked when I saw it in the back of our truck when Glen got home with it, it works so well, and I couldn’t be happier! It is an awesome fridge. 🙂
Rick S says
This is a trip down memory lane. It reminds me of my mom’s yellow appliances in the 10×50 trailer house. I look at that measurement and wonder how they had space for a box of Christmas ornaments and a punch bowl :).
My grandma used her wash-house for laundry until about 1970. She had a woodstove and copper boilers for heating water, wringer washer and a hand pump just outside. She got the Maytag washer and dryer in the house about 3 years before she stopped using her wringer. She did all the laundry on washday and used the one in the house for laundry needed sooner than next wash day. She liked to get it all done at once and she had 2-4 kids helping her with washday.
rick
John in Jacksonville says
Oh geez! first thing, I bought a NOS Progress Soundgard intercom with all remote speakers several months ago, didnt know they made lights too!
And completely love that kitchen set!!! man, especially the dishwasher!
Jacquie Y says
Thanks John,
The dishwasher was the most difficult to locate. They are hard to find, but my husband loves perusing CL and found it in Utah. We got someone traveling to Mesa to load it in his van and bring it here. It is the one appliance I paid for “sight unseen”.. just photos on CL. We took our chances and bought it, but it cost a little more to get it here!! Still wasn’t that bad though. When he got here, he said to my husband while they were unloading it, “So what ‘s the big deal about that old dishwasher??” (Ha!) 🙂 My husband Glen wired it to see if it worked, it started right up!
John says
Always funny to me when people say things like that. Older is generally made better. I prefer quality. Plus the design is on a much higher level than today. Better design, better quality… seems like an easy choice to me.
Janet in CT says
Love the light – congrats on such a great find! And you all know me – I love the old appliances, especially GE. One of these days I will unearth in my cluttered basement my GE parts books up to 1966 or so which I rescued from my father’s shop. They are huge – the size of many big phone books. Then I can definitively ID these older appliances by year. That dishwasher with the silver panel is to die for! And that fridge is a top of the line one that I always felt was special. My gramma had one with a silver paneled top freezer and I think that is why I love those models so much. I could collect a warehouse full of old colored appliances! I so appreciated seeing these this morning!
Janet in CT says
I should add that some time around the mid-sixties, to my recollection, my father renovated my gramma’s kitchen and removed her wood and kerosene stove which I so well remember. My gramma never did like her new all electic 40″ stove which he replaced it with! She also had a wringer washer up to then, and we used the top off of it like a flying saucer to sled down the hill in front of her house. Love this website – sure brings back alot of memories of my childhood! Thanks, Pam, for doing such a great job!