Tuesday, March 8, 2016

My Antique Dining Room Chandelier & Vintage Bliss Tuesdays Linky Party #74


As I mentioned last week, I have begun another 4-month purge of all things excess in our home. So today, rather than sharing a thrifty purchase, I'm taking a closer look at one of my most prized decorative possessions - this antique metal bronze-look chandelier. My parents were kind enough to give us this lighting fixture after they sold the house I grew up in. This chandelier was in the tall entryway of our 1971 raised ranch house for as long as I can remember, and now it's in my dining room.



I just love this lighting fixture - its finish, its imagery and even the faux dripping candles underneath the bulbs. I can't quite figure out what type of soldier the man in the helmet represents. Is he Medieval? Is he Roman? Is he English? Spanish?

I called my mom to find out what more she could tell me about this lighting fixture. Here is some of the dialogue that followed:

Mom - We bought it in an antique store, it has to be - you're 44 - so it had to be in the first year or two we were in the house {we got the house when I was an infant} - but that's all I remember. Wait a minute I'll ask Daddy. I think it was an antique place in Grimsby (Ontario).

Dad (from his recliner in the background) - I think it was an antique place.

Mom - But what did you say about it - did you think it was a German piece or Scandinavian?

Dad - It's pretty old - I have no idea. (muffled words)

Mom - Peter's saying maybe German. It was really old when we got it - it was sold as an antique and antiques had to be a certain age and that's over 40 years ago we got it. I think a year or two after we got the house we wanted to replace whatever was there - it was just a simple, cheap light.

Me - How much do you think you paid for it?

Mom - We didn't have much money so it had to be under $100.

Me - What do you think it's made of? It looks kind of bronze.

Mom - Maybe brass?

Dad - If you've got a magnet, you can check - maybe brass wouldn't be magnetic. (At this point I call to my husband to take a magnet to the chandelier.)

There were also a couple of questions from my dad in there about why I was inquiring and a bit of yelling from Mom to get Dad to understand (he doesn't like to wear his hearing aids). There were also a couple of interruptions from my daughter, despite the fact I had sent her to her room to put clean clothes away so that I could quickly talk to my mom.


My husband found that parts of the lighting fixture are magnetic. I googled and discovered that there isn't enough (or maybe any) iron in brass to make it magnetic. There is some iron in bronze so it could be somewhat magnetic. But there's also a finish on the piece so who knows really?


You would think I would dust my antique lighting fixture before taking a photo for the blog, however, you must understand that dusting is my LEAST FAVOURITE of all household cleaning tasks. (And I'm not in love with any of them.) I will absolutely leave dusting to last every single time. Plus, don't you think the dust and cobwebs kind of add to the vintage appeal?

I know that the lovely women who join in for Vintage Bliss Tuesdays are more knowledgeable than me about thrifted and vintage treasures. So - any ideas about the imagery, age or material of my prized lighting fixture? Any input is appreciated!



Vintage Bliss Tuesdays - Join The Party!



Vintage Bliss Tuesdays at Woman in Real Life



Please grab the code for the Vintage Bliss button and encourage others to join our party! Or you can use a text link instead. Please follow Woman in Real Life on Bloglovin' to be reminded when it's party time. And invite your friends. The more the merrier. Cheers!


15 comments:

  1. Joann, I love your chandelier. I wish I knew something to tell you about it but unfortunately I don't. I think the cobwebs and dust just give it a certain patina! LOL! Thank you for hosting. I can just imagine the phone conversation.

    xo Dianne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianne, Thank you for your support of my chandelier's "dust patina." ;) I think I'll keep it that way a bit longer... :)

      Delete
  2. Hi Joann, I love the Chandelier! I have my own collection of Vintage Lighting that I love. I think you inherited a Vintage Spanish Revival Style, but that is only a guess. I love the conversation with Dad, my Mother has very "selective" hearing and would NEVER think of wearing a hearing aid. Why would she do that, then she could hear!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip! I'll do some research into that. Yes, my dad and your mom may share some family traits that make hearing aids unacceptable. ;)

      Delete
  3. Thank you Joann, great Chandelier, at least you have a bit of its history from your parents. Thank you too for Vintage Bliss 74. have a great week.
    Joy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Joy! Have a great week too! Jo

      Delete
  4. Love the chandelier and love the story!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Joann, I have been off drooling over the great finds in the links. You might check back through Spanish or medieval revival periods in decorating to find your chandelier. It is quite distinctive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you are enjoying the great stuff in the links Donna! And thanks for the research advice. :) Jo

      Delete
  6. Hey Jo didn't mom and dad have two of those lights and daddy only put one up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know Nancy. They didn't mention that. A conversation you might want to have with them. :)

      Delete
  7. The second light came in pieces ( even older I think ) and never got put together you know your father---- he didn't give it away unless to one of you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm...surprisingly I don't have it! Must be hidden in his work area?

      Delete
  8. Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the net the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while people consider worries that they just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

    ReplyDelete