Two Chalkware Lamps - how old, etc.

The shades actually do add to the lamps, but I suspect you will need a separate box for them. I have been known to spray paint a lamp shade to cover up stains, but I don't know that I'd recommend it other than to make it look better in person. Don't think I'd use for eBay when buyer can't see. Wonder how hydrogen peroxide would work -- I've used that on spots on upholstery and quilts. Let me try that and I'll report back! Although what I have is high test that I use for soaking white ironstone.

I imagine these are probably 50s, give or take.

You can always just offer the lamps, and indicate the shades are available for the cost of shipping if buyer wants them but I see most of the pairs sold don't appear to have shades to go along and if you show an image, bidders will no doubt assume the shades are part of the auction.

That wasn't a very good answer, was it?

 

Hi,
If those shades were mine, I would spray them with the gray granite look paint. Unfourtionately those water rings are dirt and water mix and when it happens nothing will remove them. I would spray them with white textile stain and then do the gray rock paint, it would match the lamps.JMHO
greg

 

Hi Book,
Sorry those are water and dirt that were mixed and dried, once they dried that become forever. Peroxide may lighten them. I doubt that a soaking in the Niagra Falls whirlpool
would help. Perhaps someone will come up with an solution and prove me wrong.
greg

 

If that is fuzzy material with a nap at the top and bottom of the shades, you should be pretty careful with that if you are treating the other fabric.

 

Nice lamps from the 50s. The shades do add to the lamp but need to be recovered. Lamps like this with good shades are worth 2-3 times what they are worth without. I would offer them with the shades since someone may want to recover them. You could always offer lower shipping as an option if someone does not want the shades.

I would not attempt to re-wet these. You will cause more rust to the frames and the stain will not come out. Leave it to the buyer to decide what they would like to do.

 

Ok, I'm probably gonna catch some grief on this one, but I had a couple shades with stains like this and I went ahead and on a nice hot, dry day I sprayed them with high power mist from hose and then.... used a spray bottle with some bleach and water and let it sit like 1 minute and then sprayed with water. Did this about 5 times and got rid of the stains almost completely. If it dries in a short time it will not rust...I would suggest doing this only as a LAST resort....but worth trying on a throw away some time just to see how it works.

 

No way these stains are going to come out, and any kind of stress on the fabric is going to shatter it (not to mention cause rust on the frame). Late 1940s, I'd say. Definitely offer the shades for recovering; if they're intact (and arrive so at the new owner's - packing fragile fabric that's under tension is going to be a tough one), the new owner could also paint them with any paint + textile medium.

 

I like the shades a lot... they add visual impact to the lamps, I mean.

 

Having lampshades re-done is quite expensive but I bet there's a youtube how-to video. I think the shape of the shades is perfect for the lamps, so if I were a buyer, I would want them regardless of the stains.

 

They are from the 1950s

There is a local salvage store run by hipsters and they have quite a collection of these lamps (all by the same maker) with okay shades (the frame is worth money) they were asking $175-200+ per set. The fanciful, or fantacy ones (mermaids, imps) seem to be worth more then the ballet dancers. Also, folks frequently painted over the old paint when it chipped, etc, which ruins them in my opinion.

The maker was the most important to them, because the originator was copied. These look like that original company. Not sure which one. I believe the company was Reglor of California, and your shade seems to match the Reglor style.

Another maker is Stern Industries

www.ebay.com/itm/321205224301
www.ebay.com/itm/370651881897
www.ebay.com/itm/321092622594
www.ebay.com/itm/291133881768

 

Just reporting back after getting the tub of hydrogen peroxide out. Here's the result -- one cotton square, soaked in the HP and rubbed across one panel of what feels like a silky type fabric shade for a minute or two.

Mine is not fragile, even though it has age, and is most likely rayon or similar -- it is tight on the frame. See the adjoining panels for what the center one looked like. Even with the unforgiving eye of the camera, not bad.

Your results may vary depending on the fabric, but if nothing else, I can now salvage this one. And note that I use very heavy duty HP for cleaning ironstone, gloves required. Probably at least 50 or 60%. And it's not cheap (I get mine at the pool supplier by the gallon).

 

This looks like the same guy on a different lamp.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mid-century-continental-art-lamps-506696600

 

I would lace the shade, I have antique 2ft tall chalkware cherubs and am working on adding lace to cover my water stain also adding chocolate brown velvet seam.. will let you know how they look

 

To keep tension off the fabric use the top hole of the frame and bolt it to a piece of plywood. Fit that assemble snugly into a very stiff box upside down. Fix the shade frame down so it won't wiggle in shipping but don't over-tighten it to the plywood. Double nut the bolt over a large flat washer. A 'fender' washer will probably work best. Don't use a lock washer.
Restrain the plywood so it stays in the bottom.
Bubble packs should put little tension on the fabric but tape it in place to the box around the bottom / side edges of the shade. This is the strongest part of the shade.
You may be able to mount the shades to and inside each other but probably should put flat sheet foam between them.
Affix a thin piece of plywood, Masonite or Luan on the outside of the top. This should resist downward pressure on the shade frame and allow a void between it and the box top. Cut this to fit perfectly and to the shape of the box.