Oh Goody, Another Chandelier

a great deal at $45 ,lovely detail

built the candle holder around candel screw- in base

I found another chandelier!..A decorative element that is really in but thought again because of expense would never indulge in. This one is old probably early 1900's and is gold washed brass. My husband is not fond of having large holes in the ceiling nor did I want to pay an electrician for rewiring so as before I took all the wiring out.
I happened to have on hand some flicker battery operated candles. They supposedly would burn for 700hours which should be quite suitable as they wouldn't be on except for special occasions.The cups that would hold the candles however were too shallow to hold them securely...what to do? Then I remembered my favorite product epoxy,the kind that is doughy and you rub it between your hands to mix it.

original candles had a celluloid that fit nicely on replacement candle

the finished product

I built the candle holders up around the bottom of the candle,(which could be unscrewed,)  with the epoxy and then applied an antique gold color to epoxy called Rub'n Buff. It is a really neat product that you just rub on with your finger. It's lucky I have my husband to restrain me because I like the way this stuff looks so much that I would be probably layering antique gold Rub'n Buff all over the house.

Mantel Mania

detail on mantel over fireplace, string inlay and circle fan inlay

fireplace lusters ,which
I use on my buffet 

This pair of fire place light expanding lusters was found in a thrift store less it's prisms for $45
Ecclesiastes 2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly,as far as light excelleth darkness.

This was  an irresistable shade from a luster because of it's ornate decoration I have married it with other than it's own base

Unfortunately I paid $300 for this pair of lusters back East as it was the cheapest I had ever seen and I needed a birthday gift anyway. Believe me, I saw one cracked ruby glass one for $300 at an estate sale. The prices for these beauties range from $900 up and more often $1200 up.

this is my guest bedroom mantel

various decorative qualities of the mantel

Victorian furniture left us with the unique and lovely heritage of the ornate mantel. They were usually mirrored and ensconced within a lovely carved frame with various sizes of shelves positioned in strategic positions on the lovely old wood. The mirrors were beveled which offers a clue if the mirror on a mantel has been replaced. Nevertheless replaced mirror or not the mantel can serve as a great multi use decorative item in the Victorian home or any home for that matter.
They were used on any number of furniture pieces. The most common mantel was used to bring importance and beauty to the fireplace,usually the focal point of the Victorian living room.The shelves were usually adorned with items that would reflect the warm light of the fire in the fireplace, as light was at a premium in the days before electricity. One of these most beautiful and most collectible items was a pair of crystal or glass candle holders of sorts that stood on each side of the fireplace mantel. They were called fireplace lusters.These were very lovely and ornate and bejeweled with crystal prisms to enhance their reflectability.
Another fireplace item was a porcelain figurine which really appears unfinished if found out of it's intended environment. They were very lovely on the front side but flat and undecorated on the back side.This allowed them to sit flat agsinst the mantle. Most avidly sought after are the familiar Staffordshire dogs,usually found in pairs.
The mantels were not only used as fireplace decor but also were found on dining room buffets,china closets,book cases,desks,dressers, or any another piece of furniture that would support them.
Today you find them in many different decors as wall decor, hallway mirrors fireplace decor, headboards. There are just a myriad of uses for these products of the Victorian sensibilities...and those ensconced in the antique mall store reflect their desirability. in their price tags.
Well, with the luck of the Irish, I recently found 2 such beauties ,one for $35 and one for $28...you guessed it from Goodwill and one from The Collectibles thrift store both in Canoga Park.
One I believe is very old with circular fan inlays., and the other definitely from the late 1800's.
They are serving me elegantly ,one over my fireplace and one in my guest bedroom.

Chandelier Made Into a Candelier

Psalm18:28 For thou wilt light my candle:the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

Bought this great little chandelier yesterday from Council Thrift Shop in Canoga Park for $8.00. It needed rewiring as the wiring was of the cloth covered vintage type. Instead of rewiring ,I took all the wiring out,which entailed taking the whole lamp apart. I then reassembled it and hung in the corner in my dining room. It adds a delightful candlelight ambiance with battery operated flickering candles. It will be especially delightful during the holidays...which believe it or not, I am already looking forward to!