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Olde Good Things

Architectural and Altered Antiques

Recovery of 11 ft Art Deco Pendant Lights at NYC Art Deco Building

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Located in Lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center, one will find 26 Cortlandt Street a highly Art Moderne / Art Deco bank building once home to the East River Savings Bank.  This building designed by Walker & Gillette Architects was built between 1931 to 1934 and was later extended upwards. [ 1 ]

Before the East River Savings Bank was built, the location was the site of the New York City’s Radio Row, which was a cluster of electronics shops that sold radio equipment and parts in the 1920s and 1930s. [3]

In 1933, the aggressively Art Moderne 22-26 Cortlandt Street building was constructed for the East River Savings Bank. The bank was established by attorney John Leveridge in 1848 and lasted over a century and a half before merging with Marine Midland Bank in 1995. [2]

For many years since then, the building has housed the Century 21 Department Store.  After a recent acquisition by new owners, the building is undergoing a massive renovation, making available a small collection of classic Art Deco tubular chandeliers which overall height extends more than 10 feet.

These six arm beauties with molded tubular lites in exemplary Art Deco style give the feel of the Great Gatsby era.  They were carefully retrieved, disassembled and carefully stored.  One is reassembled and on display at OGT’s 52nd Street Flagship showroom, ready to light up the ambiance of another historical venue.  At the time of posting there were three of these lights available exclusively at Olde Good Things.  Refer here to read more and inquire from the web store.

View 1930s Art Deco Bank 11 ft Brass Tube Glass Pendant Light online.

 

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortlandt_Street_(Manhattan)

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Row

3. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-36e5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

 

Customer Showcase: Paris Street Lamps Pendants

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From one of the world’s most vogue and romantic cities — Paris, City of Lights — these original holophane globe street lamps traveled across the water to new settings, carrying with them the mystique and beauty of that luminous metropolis.

The city’s reputation as City of Lights began in the 17th century when tallow candles in glass boxes were strung across the streets on ropes. Later, oil lamps replaced candles, on tall poles that threw the city into a contrast of light and deep shadows.

Electricity replaced the antiquated methods of lighting in the city and updated LED lighting gives more people access to retain a piece of Paris history by the illumination of these vintage Paris globe lamps.

When Paris replaced its streetlamps with updated energy-efficient LED lighting, the antique globe street lamps were preserved. Olde Good Things acquired some of the lamps to be rehomed in residences, studios, offices, or businesses.

Holophane luminaires were considered top-quality and used widely in the industry due to their even dispersion of light, which negates dark spots and glare.

The vintage Paris holophane globe lamps are available on either pole or a chain for use as pendant lighting.

These storied street lamps from Paris bring beauty and functionality to any environment, whether commercial or for home interior lighting.

For assistance with locating the Paris street light of your dreams at OGT, or any of our other reclaimed light fixtures, contact us.

You can see more of how some of our creative customers have put these wonderful lights to use in their homes as dining area pendants and hall and staircases luminaires, along with other holophane lighting salvaged from the historic architecture used to brighten residential and commercial spaces, in our client-provided photos on Instagram.

OGT featured on Realtor.com

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Special thanks to Realtor.com for featuring us in the ‘How to Decorate With Secondhand Furniture From Craigslist and Nextdoor’ article. It is room by room article on how fashion designer Ms. Raquel Allerga used second-hand furnishings to decorate her second home in New Mexico. She purchased a Murano glass pendant from our Los Angeles retail location to hang above her copper dining room table.

Read the full article

Shop all Murano glass pendant lights online

 

Limited Edition Industrial Modern Lamps & Lights

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Our creative lighting team has put together a limited-edition hybrid collection of Modern Industrial lighting. They paired antique shades with antique finish brass fixtures to make a unique line of desk lamps,  standing lamps, and pendant lights.

We have a whole array of original shades including 1920s X-ray mercury glass, scalloped white milk glass, and clear ribbed Holophanes. The mercury glass shade has the original silver painted finish on the outside with stunning silver mirrored reflective glass on the inside. The hardware for the pendant and lampstands are newly constructed of brass with an antique finish and an arm that articulates vertically. The hardware for the gooseneck desk lamps is old new stock. All the lighting is newly wired. The pendant lights require 1-2 weeks to process and the height is customizable.

Multiples are available while supplies of the shades are available.  Simple yet sleek, these are a great addition to a home office, kitchen counter, or sitting or bedroom.

Desk Lamps

Shop all industrial desk lamps

Floor Lamps

Shop all industrial floor lamps

Pendant Light

Shop all industrial pendant lights

 

How to Hang Kitchen Island & Dining Room Lights

Classic Bell Jar Pendant Lighting Instills a Vintage Eclectic Edge

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Bell jar lanterns are a classic tribute to centuries of lighting. They add a traditional, yet eclectic, feel to space. The evolution of the bell jar light fixture proves that they can be adapted to accentuate a number of functions and design styles.

Middle Ages

Lanterns appear in medieval manuscripts as early as the 13th century. Some of these forms included basic frames with panels of horn or glass. The first innovations in lighting technology were the most basic way to illuminate the dark, clammy hallways.

Leonardo da Vinci is the first known inventor to put a flame inside a glass container fitted to a water-filled glass globe.

Renaissance Bell Jar Fixtures

As lighting evolved, pendant lighting styles moved away from carved hanging lamps of wood and metal to round glass chimney lanterns. The fixture was suspended from the ceiling by a circular plate, hook, and chains.

With the creation of ornately embellished chandeliers in 17th century France and 18th century England, pendants made from crystals and frosted glass were en vogue up until the 20th century.

18th Century

In expansive, darkly-paneled 18th century homes, light emanated mainly from the fireplace or candles. However, the candles were expensive. Homes incorporated the trick of medieval and renaissance predecessors by enclosing candles in glass pendants to be hung from the ceiling. Often, the candles were only lit during festivities, and the glass jar prevented the candles from being snuffed out by a draft.

American Colonial and Federalist Period

Bell jar light fixtures were quite popular during the colonial period in America. These fixtures were elaborately designed with reliefs and other decorative finishes. A smoke bell cap on the pendants prevented candle smoke from blackening the ceilings or walls.

Colonial India

Bell jar lanterns, known as Hundi lanterns, were popular and widespread in colonial India. Here, hand-blown glass fixtures were made in a variety of sparkling, jewel-like colors in styles representing a meeting of Western and Indian design.

Contemporary

Bell jar lighting remains popular to the present day. Obviously, the function has evolved over time from candles, oil, or gas to electric pendant fixtures.  A number of designs, etched patterns, and colors embellish homes across the world with a style that is both vintage and modern, traditional and edgy.

Olde Good Things recently acquired a collection of fine bell jar glass carefully curated by an avid collector over years of traveling to India and purchasing antique fine crystal and glass bell jars. The antique pieces are available in both cut and clear crystal, ruby red or emerald green.

 

 

Antique Austrian Crystal Bell Jar

View Bell Jar Pendants online

Credits:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/8484621/list/ring-in-lighting-style-with-a-bell-jar-lantern

http://www.currentmiddleages.org/tents/article6lantern.pdf

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-07-31/news/0507310305_1_pendants-furniture-and-lighting-designer-drama-and-intimacy

A Piece of Paris History: Repurposing Vintage Street Lights

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Paris Holophane Globe StreetlightAn ancient and historic city, Paris is the sparkling central gem in the crown of Europe. Known to all as the City of Lights, Paris is a criss-crossing capitol comprised of smaller cities joined together by their love of fine food, joy, and the passion one finds around every corner.

For many years, along the winding footpaths and cobblestone alleyways and narrow paved streets, Parisians and tourists could see the sights and explore the intimate nooks and crannies of the city; their way lit by large globe street lights.

Today, with the crucial need for bright lights and cost-effective infrastructure, Paris has replaced many of their antique and vintage street lights with new LED bulbs.

Though need has outweighed history, Paris knew it couldn’t just dispose of their old lights —no, they knew these beautiful, classic holophane lamps could be owned and loved by those who adore the city as much as they do.

Original street lamp pictured here in Paris

Original street lamp pictured here in Paris

Olde Good Things has just acquired a limited supply of these fantastic holophane globes, ready to be transformed into great contemporary lighting for either a residential or commercial application. These globe lamps are available with a steel pole or with a chain for use as a large pendant light.

Holophane Paris street lamp pictured with a chainHolophane Paris street lamp pictured with a steel pole

These globes can be simply repurposed as light fixtures and glimmering conversation pieces, in your kitchen over your central island, or in your dining room over your table. Imagine enjoying a meal with those you love while the light of Paris shines down upon you. Not only that, these antique lamps would be spectacular lighting pieces for screened-in porches, outdoor entertainment spaces, or shining, shimmering ballrooms! With these genuine architectural historical pieces, the sky’s the limit!

These are wonderful for adding flair to residential homes or businesses

Bring a piece of the City of Lights into your home or office, and create an atmosphere of Parisian charm with the flick of a switch.

To own your very own piece of Parisian history, contact the customer service professionals at Olde Good Things, and be sure to peruse our online inventory for other gorgeous light fixtures.

 

Olde Good Things