Beauti-Vue pleated, woven swag lamps – New Old Stock from 1978

Another product we discovered at Beauti-Vue — it’s not even on their website: New Old Stock yarn-woven swag lamps from 1978. There is limited supply of these lamps — about 20 each in the “Clairmont” and “Matalinas” colorways and just one “Splendor.”

• Cost: $99 includes shipping [lower 48 states only]. Contact Beauti-Vue to place your order and get while the getting is good.

These fantastic, throw-back woven swag lamps coordinated with some of Beauti-Vue’s woven wood shades, but instead of wood slats, the lamp shades are constructed with strips of translucent, textured poly-styrene allowing light to pass through them. There were originally four color ways of swag lamps available — Lexington, Matalina, Clairmont and Splendor — but today only a limited amount of three of the four styles remain. 

Stormy was nice enough to lend me a vintage brochure for the lamps so I could read more about them and see the long sold-out fourth color way. For anyone that loves the look of Beauti-Vue’s retro woven wood shades, but doesn’t have a place in their home for them, these pleated woven swag lamps are a perfect opportunity to own a piece of Beauti-Vue history. Yes, Pam and I each snapped them up — she bought one — I bought two!

Easy to order, the swag lamps are quite sizable at 12.5″ inches in diameter by 18″ inches tall and come fitted with a two-prong plug. Precautionary Pam reminds: Even if lighting or appliances come New Old Stock, it is advisable to get the wiring checked out by a properly licensed professional to ensure it’s still safe to use and if not, to get it rewired.

They are so minty fresh that they are still packed in their original boxes, padded with bits of newspaper from 1978 — Pam thinks the newspaper is the Milwaukee-Sentinel. She was actually at Marquette University in 1978, studying journalism, and recalls that the Sentinel was printed on salmon-colored paper. That’s what’s in the box! Opening of the boxes is like cracking open another time capsule — fun to see what was in the news then.

Oh, she even likes the box. The box was custom-designed for the swag lamps. It’s old-skool corrugated cardboard. Everything about Beauti-Vue is So. Cool.

Buying one of these swag lamps:

Beauti-Vue has quite a few of the yellow Clairmont and blue Matalina color ways remaining, one of the beige and black Splendor lamps and has long since sold out of the Lexington color way.

Again:

• Cost for any of the designs is $99, this price includes shipping into the lower 48 states.
• Contact Beauti-Vue for instructions on placing your order.
• These products are not on the Beauti-Vue website — we discovered them in our reporting. The only photos are here. Tell them Retro Renovation sent you!

Clairmont: About 20 left

The “Clairmont” color way is the most colorful option of the bunch, which is probably why Pam and I were instantly drawn to it. A mix of yellow, gold, green and orange yarns combined with Amber Poly-Styrene slats makes for a bright and happy pendant lamp. 

I bought two of the Clairmont color way for myself to use in the future when I finish my basement, possibly in my future tiki lounge or even as hanging bedside lamps in a guest room. Pam is the proud owner of a Clairmont lamp now too, since she instructed me not to leave Beauti-Vue without grabbing one for her.

Gosh they are lovely! Kristin estimated that there were at least 20 of this colorway in stock.

Matalina: About 20 left

If you’re into cooler colors, then “Matalina” — a blend of vivid blue, white and light beige yarns and crystal clear styrene slats — may be just the lamp for you. Kristin Grumbeck, sales and customer service manager at Beauti-Vue, estimated that there were at least 20 of this colorway left in stock.

Splendor: Just one left

The “Splendor” colorway is made up of gold, black and brown yarns on amber poly-styrene slats. The photo shown above is of Beauti-Vue’s last remaining Splendor swag lamp.

Lexington: None left

“Lexington” was sold out a long time ago. This must have been the company’s most popular color combination, most likely because its neutral color scheme easily meshed with a variety of decors. Still, it is nice to be able to see the fourth color in the series, don’t you think?

We know these aren’t midcentury modern.
But don’t you think they’re cool?
Who’s buying one — and what design/colorway did you snap up?

Read all of our stories about Beauti-Vue’s NOS products