Welcome
to
The Old Above
I sell restored
vintage lighting. What I love is bringing fixtures back to their original
appearance. I don’t alter them, add parts, change the colors, or anything. All
my lights look like they did when first leaving the factory. Except with new
wiring!
If
you’d like to learn more, please scroll down below the item description. There
you will find:
TIPS TO BUYING VINTAGE
LIGHTS ON EBAY
WHY MY RESTORED LIGHTS ARE
SPECIAL
A NOTE (or two) ABOUT MY
RESTORATIONS
A BIT ABOUT ME
Why a BUY IT NOW instead
of a regular auction?
I’m
very pleased to offer this extraordinary opportunity:
A matching pair of silver-plated 1920s chandeliers!
This listing is for two chandeliers.
And what chandeliers they be! I have never
previously offered chandeliers quite like them:
The chandeliers are an impressive 21-inches wide.
They are 33-1/2-inches long (to the bottom of the cloth tassel), and
26-3/4-inches minus the tassel. If you need the fixtures shorter, I can reduce
the length of the pipe stem a few inches. If you need them longer please
contact me.
I lusted after this exquisite pair for a long time.
It was a thrill to at last purchase them. They are so very beautiful; I love
just simply staring at them.
Wholly restored and with new wiring, this pair is ready to hang,
and comes with all the mounting hardware needed!
DETAILS: The fixtures
accept candelabra base 40W bulbs.
COLOR: Silver.
Amethyst glass. Wine tassels.
SIZE: See above.
CONDITION:
SHIPPING: Insured shipping in the Continental US
will be…FREE!
PAYMENT:
TIPS TO BUYING VINTAGE LIGHTS ON EBAY
STYLE. People that own, for example, a
Colonial-Revival style home will naturally want Colonial-Revival style vintage
fixtures. But a great many pre-WWII homes originally had fixtures quite
different than one would imagine. I’ve been in classic bungalows with original
Art Deco fixtures, and recently I toured a Foursquare with original
Spanish-Revival lights. All these fixtures looked very well. I always recommend
that people buy what they love no matter the style of their home. My last home
was a large 1915 Colonial-Revival. I filled it full of 1950s fixtures. It
worked. The fixtures gave the classic house an unexpected zest. It was also
common for people to update their homes by changing all the lights. So, your 1905
home may well have had all the lights replaced in the 1920s or 1930s. If you
had these lights in place you wouldn’t dream of taking them out. So, buy what
you love. Just make sure the scale is right.
RESALE VALUE. Recently a buyer contacted me. They restored
a wonderful old home. All the original lights were long gone and they purchased
very nice new fixtures in an old style. When they tried to sell the house there
was no interest. For six months. The market is lousy of course but the realtor
said that several potential buyers wished the house still retained its original
fixtures. That is when they contacted me. Because I specialize in whole house
sets, I was able to supply a matched set of fixtures for every room. The buyers
were flabbergasted at the difference. They had an open house. The house sold
ASAP. For above the asking price. “Best investment we ever made,” they
gleefully reported. I do love a happy ending.
RESTORED? RENOVATED? If the distinction is important to you
see the box below for more information: A NOTE (or two) ABOUT MY RESTORATIONS.
WHY MY RESTORED LIGHTS ARE SPECIAL
The
Top Ten (plus one)!
1) Most importantly, I restore vintage fixtures. I do not renovate
them. There is a huge distinction between the two. Please see the box at the
bottom of my item description for more information.
2) My lights are rewired and ready to hang; everything to do
so is included. They also come with electrical mounting bars. You will thank me
for this; it’s incredibly hard to find the correct size mounting bars for
vintage lights.
3) Most electricians HATE installing vintage lights. They
assume old, scary wiring, fixtures that will not mate with modern electrical
boxes, and a whole host of other issues. But electricians LOVE installing my
restored fixtures. I make the whole process effortless. See #2 above, and I
also re-wire my fixtures, and ensure there is more wire than really necessary
above the canopy to easily connect with your house wires (electricians
particularly bless me for this). I even include the mounting screws and wire
nuts!
4) My lights feature original or vintage canopies (the cup that
goes against the ceiling). I never use modern canopies as they are not
consistent with the scale and proportion of period lighting. A modern canopy is
easily recognized. They are basically flat and quite thin (about an inch thick)
whereas vintage canopies are like a cup shape and deeper (usually 3-inches or
even twice that).
5) The chain on most vintage lights is corroded and I can rarely
re-use it. The problem is that readily available modern chain is thinner,
smaller, and not the same shape as vintage chain. Imagine my elation when I
found one supplier who still made
true vintage-style chain. Halleluiah!
6) I use really lovely cloth-covered wire for all visible
areas. If this supplier ever goes out of business I will have to shut down.
7) I use new porcelain sockets instead of plastic. If porcelain
sockets do not fit, I use new Bakelite sockets. If the fixture has brass
sockets with on/off switches, I generally retain these distinctive components
but with new paper insulators.
8) I am an incredible packer (see feedback). Worry-free shipping!
9) When necessary, I forward special instructions on how to hang
your vintage fixture.
10) I answer emails! Quickly!
11) Read my feedback. You’ll know that if a problem should
develop that I won’t disappear! Or snarl at you!
Some recent feedback (as
Seller, not Buyer!):
Ross is a total
pleasure to buy from – he's helpful and knowledgeable.
Beautiful product
& caring seller. Meticulous packaging. Highly recommend.
5 STARS! Super Nice
Seller – BEAUTIFUL Perfect Fixtures – wrapped w/TLC THANKS! :)
This Is MR.LIGHTING. Don't
Bother Looking Elsewhere. All Are Amazing. Ten**********!
If you think the
photos are pretty, wait 'til you see them in person! Gorgeous!!
Prompt shipping,
well-packed and GORGEOUS lights; passion and pride are apparent.
The service is
wonderful. Items exceeded expectations. Thanks!+++
Spectacular light
fixture! Just beautiful! Fast ship, packed safely. Thank you!!
First-rate seller.
Exceptional product, service & value. Thank you!
The 1930's Chandelier
was amazing and in superb condition, better than new!!!!!!
Fantastic and unique!
Shipping box was like
Beautiful lamp. Great
seller who obviously loves what he does and does it well.
As always, flawless
service and beautiful products, carefully packaged.
This guy really goes
the extra mile. 100% authentic, worth the money.
A+ Transaction! Ross
is the best – knowledgeable, witty, skilled.
Super eBay...fast and
the best packing I have seen.
A real class act –
great experience start to finish! Great communication! A+++
There aren't enough
superlatives to describe quality and service. Ross rocks!
Best Light Dealer on
eBay.
WOW Shipping All-Star!
Fixtures even better than pictured! My BEST eBay purchase.
Always a pleasure, no
worries, exceptional lights!!!!
Prompt, courteous,
honest seller! Flawless transaction. Highly recommend!
This seller was
spectacular. We are recommending him to all of our friends! A++
REMEMBER when CUSTOMER
SERVICE was NO.1 in our country? This GUY still OFFERS IT.
Should be elected EBAY
PRESIDENT!!! MAGNIFICIENT, HIGHEST QUALITY LIGHTS!!!
THE BEST PACKER in the
Very NICE! Among the
most professional and committed sellers out there. A++++++
It's a pleasure to do
business with Ross. I keep coming back to his store.
This seller is
professional, responsive and honest – and he's fun to work with.
Great light – you make
everything so easy to install! Thanks so much!
I'll come back to this
seller for quality antique lighting – it doesn’t get better!
The best of the best
lighting right here – this seller's quality is truly amazing.
Regarding lights on
eBay, there is rossmct23 and then there is everybody else.
The restorations are
obviously done with care and expertise – it's always perfect.
My favorite seller –
you know you'll get exactly what he says.
Simply the best.
ASTONISHING IS RIGHT!
MY FAVORITE!!!SELLER! This light KNOCKS ME OUT!
A really great seller!
Knowledge, wit, and talent with this seller!!!
WOWZER!! and DOUBLE
YIPPEEEEE!!!
TOP NOTCH SELLER!!
FANTASTIC PACKING! QUALITY LIGHTING....Thank you
MUSEUM quality +
PERFECT packing + LIGHTNING ship = FAVORITE SELLER
SPECTACULAR in EVERY
WAY. My FAVORITE seller. ALWAYS A+++PERFECT
Best lighting guy
ever; great lights; excellent communication; superstar; thanks
The best seller I’ve
ever dealt with on eBay! Absolutely first rate in every way.
Best seller
ever...hands down.
Ebay's finest...5
stars and then some!
Stop what you are
doing...eBay has been perfected.
SPECTACULAR item and
SELLER EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS = A+++
A NOTE (or two) ABOUT MY RESTORATIONS
Restore. Renovate.
Two words with different meanings, and different results.
Restoring a vintage
light will bring back its original appearance.
Renovating a vintage light will alter
its original appearance. This can be done by changing its color(s), adding more
colors than originally intended, and by combining parts from different
fixtures/eras.
For me, I simply love the process of
restoration. It seems like magic recreating something that has been
near-ruined, eroded, or damaged. When each of my fixtures is restored I get
such a thrill! It’s like time itself has been reversed! (Now, if I could just
apply this process to my aging body/mind!)
A few things I’ve learned:
1) I work hard at respecting original
finishes. When a finish is intact but faded, I essentially wash a new finish over the old. Thus, the original finish is still
visible but looks wholly refreshed. In short, it simply looks as it did
when leaving the factory many decades previous. Or, it's very common that 90%
of the original finish is intact. To me, it seems a shame to remove all this
just because a tiny portion is lost. So I recreate what is missing. And you
can't tell that I did anything.
2) In order to restore a finish, it’s
vital to use the same materials, colors, and techniques that were used
originally.
3) Vintage fixtures used color
sparingly and few featured more than three colors.
4) The original finish on vintage
fixtures is entirely different than can be achieved with modern paints. Modern
paints give the effect of a plastic
film over the fixture whereas the original finishes were usually like a stain. The effect is quite a bit more
subtle.
5) Vintage fixtures also have a subtle
sheen, so I never spray on a shiny protective coating.
6) I don’t refinish the back of my
fixtures. By doing so it is difficult to really know if the fixture is vintage
(there are usually paint speckles, scratches, and age marks). Once installed,
the back cannot be seen but you
will know that your fixture is indeed vintage.
7) I also don’t restore electrical
components. Eighty-year-old electrical parts are simply dangerous. So my lights
receive high-quality new sockets (usually porcelain), new wiring, and
cloth-covered wiring for any visible areas. I do retain turn-key sockets
wherever possible (but with new paper insulators).
I’ve been restoring lighting since I
was a teenager in the mid-1970s. One of my great discoveries was the finish
material used by almost all lighting companies prior to World War II.
This is a hand-applied and hand-burnished product and I use it on my
fixtures that require new finishes. Significantly, the colors are also the same
that were used originally.
Because of this, I can place a wholly
refinished fixture next to one with a mint original finish and you will not be
able to see any difference. I occasionally amuse (torture?) my friends with
this. Not once have they been able to tell the difference. "Wow."
There are buyers who truly want
restored lighting and others who prefer renovated. This is good, because I am a
great supporter of diversity!
For
the record, I sell restored vintage lighting.
A BIT ABOUT ME
(Or: Who Is This Guy?)
As mentioned above, I have been
restoring vintage lights since I was a teenager in the mid-1970s. An Interstate
highway was being rammed through the city where I lived, and I ran (steps ahead
of the bulldozers, and with my shag haircut flying) from one incredible
building to another, and from one incredible house to another, and salvaged
everything I could.
My poor, bewildered parents. Their garage
was soon chock-a-block with what I thought were treasures beyond compare. And
which they knew to be useless
flotsam. (I did though once overhear my mom say: “Well, at least he’s not out
doing drugs.”)
However, when all their boring lights
were systematically replaced with the most stunning lights they had ever seen –
and all for free, and rewired and restored – they soon had second thoughts
about the flotsam. (I paid for new parts by mowing lawns!)
A brighter light soon proved too
alluring though:
After a few excruciating years, the
Gods decided to let up, and I found myself the proud owner of my own
architectural design firm. At twenty-eight! It was the heady 1980s, the city
was going through a spectacular revival, and I was overwhelmed – quite happily,
thank-you – with one project after another. (I set a record for designing the
most apartments in
Yep, it was a wild time!
Then came the early 1990s crash, and a
desire for a calmer life. Eventually rural
The rest, as they say…
Why a BUY IT NOW instead of a regular auction?
All my listings are for a BUY IT NOW. I
do this because it’s effortless for me and
you. There’s no guessing with my lights. You know right away if one of my
restored fixtures is right for your budget. Another good thing? You
can also, well, buy it. Now. No waiting. No worry that you will lose after
waiting quite patiently for X days. No worry that a Them will abscond with Your
light in the last four seconds; the light you have your heart set on. The light. The perfect light. There are likely worse
things in life but at the moment I can’t think of one.