Cobwebs N Treasures

Antiques, Collectibles, Lighting. Lamp Shades, Light Globes, Chimneys & Parts.

Posts Tagged ‘Collectibles’

Go Green on Earth Day – Recycle a Pre-Owned Lamp or Light Shade

April 21st, 2013

Today is Earth Day, a day of awareness for creating a eco-friendly, healthier environment for future generations.

My Dad's Danish Modern Tulip Tension Pole Lamp

Recycling pre-owned lighting keeps it out of the land fills. It also enhances the beauty of your home. It instills a sense of value to the history of past generations, their interior design and decorating. It’s a great method for teaching your family to appreciate Antiques or Family Heirlooms, various Art Work, and Trade Skills.

With just a bit of searching in local area shops, or on the internet for “Antique Lamp Shade”, “Vintage Lamp Shade” or “Collectible lamp shade”, you can discover great shapes, styles, materials, and colors. Earth colors are very popular right now, greening your home in shades of ivory, tan, browns, golds, greens, blues will enhance your decor.

A search for a specific Style, such as Danish Modern, Mid Century Modern, Victorian, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s etc will show you an endless array of terrific used, stylish lighting for all types of decor.

Even using a new lamp with a old shade, or vice versa will benefit Mother Earth, and keep nice old pieces out of the trash and add some stylish history to your life.

Here’s a few ideas:

If you are into Danish Modern like I am, you probably like Floor or Tension Pole Lamps, or Hanging Swag Lamps, and you will want to hunt for Threaded shades to screw into those light fixtures. My Dad’s gorgeous Danish Modern tension pole lamp with Tulip Blossom Shades and Teak Wood leaves graces our bedroom. The green shade is cracked, so if something should happen to it, I could quickly change the entire look with white or orange shades. Threaded shades were made in a number of shapes and colors and with some searching, they can be found.

I also love these Art Deco Style Shades made of Clear Glass, partially painted white, with their geometric designs. They are great for vintage bathrooms, hallways, and kitchens.

Or maybe you love the old Colonial Kerosene Oil Style Student Desk or Table Lamps. My Mother broke the shade on hers several years back, and quite by accident we found another just like it, probably made during the 1970s. There are so many of these lovely lamps that have been knocked over and had their shades broken. The lamps are still beautiful and in working order, but no longer have a shade. You can find lots lamps without shades and plenty of both new replacements and old original shades.

Spend Earth Day and Every Day watching for interesting, useful and eye pleasing items of all types that you can recycle. Help keep usable things out of the landfills and turn them into treasures.

You may find the following Lighting Replacement HOW TO Articles helpful:

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Posted in Decorating Ideas, Replacement Lighting

Easter Baskets, Eggs, Rabbits, Bunnies, and Chicks – Remember Jesus

March 22nd, 2013

Easter is another of those fun times for children. Over the last 20 years, I’ve watched Richard’s side of the family do something different than my family did. After church, everyone comes for dinner and brings plastic eggs filled with goodies and little trinkets. After a marvelous dinner, the older kids go hide those eggs.

Easter Treasures - Old and New

Finally, the little ones are turned loose with a Basket or bag to fetch the eggs “hidden” by the Easter Rabbit in the most obvious of places, so even the toddlers can find them easily. It’s great fun to watch the delight as each one is discovered on top of tree stump, in the open beside the fence, or laying on top of the root cellar door.

I have often thought this would be a fun thing to do at a Senior Citizens Assisted Living Center for the elderly. Even those is a wheelchair could enjoy hunting for Eggs, Chicks, Rabbits, or even Religious objects which they could keep treasure.

While all this activity is a special treat for youngsters, it is also important that they know the true reason for Easter. The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Wishing you a joyous Easter!

Don’t miss the 10% Discount Coupon “ EASTER ” when visiting our TIAS Midwest Emporium Store.

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Posted in Collectibles

Tags: Basket Bunny Chick Collectibles Easter Gift Ideas Rabbit Vintage

Add Challenge to your Glass Collection with Fenton Mulberry Jacqueline

February 25th, 2013

Collecting Cranberry Glass has been one of our passions for over 20 years now. We have pieces of Italian Murano and Bohemian Czech Glass made in Europe, plus lots of American made in U.S.A. Art Glass from a variety of Glass Companies.

Fenton Mulberry Jacqueline Rose Bowl Vase

We have collected and sold Pilgrim, Mosser, Indiana Glass, Tiffin, Fenton Glass, LG Wright, Stevens & Williams, Northwood, Imperial, Anchor Hocking flashed, Pyrex, Aladdin Mantle Lamp Co, US Glass, West Virginia Glass, Buckeye, American Glass Co, Fostoria, Kanawha, Rainbow, Viking, and Morgantown. I’m sure I probably missed some companies.

The other day Richard came home with a harder to find Fenton Mulberry Jacqueline Rose Bowl. The Jacqueline pattern and Color Combo called Mulberry made in the late 1980s.

This isn’t a true piece of Cranberry Glass, because it is made from several colors. It is a difficult process, with the Blue Bottom made first, with the color changing to a purple or lavender, the changing to a deep raspberry or cranberry color at the top rim. It is an absolutely gorgeous piece of glassware and looks beautiful with Cranberry Glass.

Unfortunately, we just can’t keep all this beautiful stuff, so our loss may be your gain. If you or a loved one collect Fenton Glass, you should be able to find an endless array of fabulous patterns and pieces to treasure.

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Posted in Collectibles, Decorating Ideas

Tags: American Art Glass Collectible Collectibles Cranberry Fenton Glass Glassware Home Decorating Ideas Jacqueline Mulberry Rose Bowl Vase Vintage

Mid Century Modern Laurel Mushroom Lamps are Classic Minimalist Décor

January 22nd, 2013

While watching METV one night, they were advertising the Dick Van Dyke Show with Mary Tyler Moore in a living room comedy scene. The room was decorated in Mid Century Modern, using oranges and yellows. Sitting near the window, was a beautiful, bright yellow Laurel Mushroom lamp.

Replacement Lamp Shades for Laurel Lamps

The Mushroom Lamp was made by the Laurel Lamp Mfg. Co. Inc. of Newark, New Jersey in the 1950s to 1970s. It was made in elegant, sleek, smooth lines, with a squashed round pillow shaped Mushroom Shade shade in a frosted satin matte finish. Laurel Lamps were made as wall, table and floor lighting in several varying shapes. One table lamp has a base shaped similar to the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and holds the mushroom shade or a inverted Teardrop or Acorn shade.

I was so intrigued with this lamp, that I went searching for replacement shades, as I just knew there had to be plenty of vintage lamps out there without a shade. I found brand new ones, they are neckless, made exactly like the originals and could be used in any lamp or light fixture with a neckless shade attachment. These shades would be fabulous used as hanging swag lamps or light pendants.

If you love the minimalist décor, this Mid Century Modern style will compliment and add a warm ambiance to any room.

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Posted in Decorating Ideas, Replacement Lighting

Tags: 1960s Collectible Collectibles Glass Lamp Shade Home Decorating Ideas Laurel Lamp Shade Laurel Mushroom Lamp Shade Lighting Replacement Mid Century Modern Minimalist Decor Pendant Lighting Vintage

Enhance Your Decor with a Recycled Red Tiffany Style Petal Lamp Shade

October 30th, 2012

Love Red? When I saw this fabulous red light shade, it just seemed to reach out and grab me! What a warm and elegant way to enhance a small corner nook, dining room, bedroom or other cozy area.

Red Floral Art Nouveau Light Shade

It would fit in nicely with Art Nouveau style decor, other red accents, or a place where you would like to cast a soft red glow.

An old swag lamp or pendant light fixture with a 4 inch shade holder could quickly change the entire atmosphere of any room.

What better way to go Green than to Recycle old Treasures while adding beauty to your life.

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Posted in Replacement Lighting

Tags: Art Nouveau Collectible Collectibles eco-friendly Floral Glass Lamp Shade Green Lamp Shade Light Shade Lighting Lighting Replacement Recycled Recycling Replacement Lighting Tiffany Style Vintage

Thistle Motto Plate – So Much Good in Worst of Us, So Much Bad in Best of Us

September 24th, 2012

Motto ware such as Mugs, Plates, and other dishware have been interesting, unique gifts over the centuries.

So Timely in Our Political Atmosphere

Framed Motto Prints for Mom, Dad, and other themes were quite popular during the Early to Mid 20th Century.

During our almost 20 year experience with antiques and collectibles, I thought I had seen it all. That was until I dug this old plate out of a box from an estate sale.

Thistles…… An appropriate blooming weed for such a colorful subject, “Put Downs and Gossip“….

This is something we all deal with everyday, in our families, work places, social activities, and social internet sites, but especially in our current hostile political atmosphere.

This Motto Plate is old, stained and crazed, but it’s message is HUGE! Someone will love adding this remarkable plate to their motto collection.

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Posted in Collectibles

Tags: Antique Collectible Collectibles Motto Ware Mottoware Plate Political Behavior Vintage

Living Green with Recycled Useful Collectible Lamps and Lighting

July 21st, 2012

The Midwest Emporium began with us selling Antiques and used Collectibles, the ultimate in recycling. Eighteen years of experience has made us very conscious of the amount of discarded articles that continue to have desirability and usefulness. These articles can and should be kept out of our landfills.

Old lamp from an estate sale, Restored with different lamp shades.

Recycling is Eco Friendly. It protects and conserves precious resources. We believe it is our responsibility to be conscious of our behaviors and the impact they have on the environment. The Midwest Emporium is committed to responsible behavior and has placed many 1000s of usable products back into service, in homes where they are loved and enjoyed.

Our Green philosophy was handed down to us from the visible remnants of estate sales, plus stories from our Parents, Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. During the lean years, frugality dictated that nothing that could otherwise be repaired or reused in some way, was to be thrown away. Restoring, reusing, and recycling has always been a part of our business.

Today that philosophy has become embedded in our society. Whether it might be dishes, collectibles, appliances, or lighting, our experience has taught us that older goods are most generally of better quality and durability. Decades of different styles makes recycling an excellent way to accent your decor.

Our largest product line is focused on the repair and reuse of lighting fixtures. Every time a fixture is repaired, one less item ends up discarded and one less product has to be manufactured. These products can also be broken down into 100% recyclable parts. Restoring not only saves energy resources and materials for production, it also preserves much of our American Culture, Art and History.

The majority of our packing materials are recylced, although occasionally we must us something which is not, in order to ship a product to you safely. We recycle all clean packing materials received, such as peanuts, bubble wrap, newsprint and sturdy cardboard materials. Everything that we cannot use, goes to a recycling center in our area. Every effort is made to keep our environment clean.

Why not look for used Lighting which you can restore, to enhance your decor?

You may find the following Lighting Replacement HOW TO Articles helpful:

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Posted in Decorating Ideas, Replacement Lighting

Tags: Collectibles eco-friendly Green Home Decorating Ideas Lamps Lampshade Lighting pre-owned Recycled Recycling Replacement Restoration Vintage

Beautiful Green Artichoke Replacement Shade for your Old Aladdin Lamp

June 19th, 2012

Aladdin is a Magic name in Lamps, both the Kerosene or Oil version, and also Electric Floor and Table Lamps. The Aladdin Mantle Lamp Company was founded in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois. The company later merged with Aladdin Industries in 1949. Their name is now Aladdin Technologies.

Green Artichoke 10" Glass Lamp Shade

Aladdin Lamps, Shades, and miscellaneous parts are still manufactured and sold from their Tennessee location. Replacement parts such as wicks, mantles, tripod and ring shade holders, chimneys, shades that will fit Aladdin Lamps, and are still easy to obtain.

So, if your lamp is an antique version made in the early 1900s or later, and has no shade, or has missing or damaged parts, they are still available so that you can restore and use those old lamps. Or you can buy a brand new lamp lamp to use with your old shade. They are an important part of any survival plan, very useful during electrical outages caused by both summer and winter storms.

We recently obtained a gorgeous shade in the raised, embossed Aritchoke pattern which was originally called a 202 shade by Aladdin. This one has an unusual difference from those seen in the past. While some folks prefer the solid dark green, this one has a very dark top and neck with the Emerald Green color cascading to lighter shades towards the bottom.

The 202 shade was originally only made in green, but over the years has been made in Opal, Satin white Opal, Satin Clear, Amber, and Red. This varied green will add a striking, interesting effect to a old brass lamp, or a jade green, opal milk white or clear glass lamp.

Whether just spicing up your vintage decor, planning for emergency electric outages, for general regular use, or collecting, there is an endless array of Aladdin Lamp supplies available.

If you are a beginner you may find this article helpful:

How to use a Kerosene or Oil Lamp Safely.

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Posted in Replacement Lighting

Tags: Collectible Lamp shades Collectibles Glass Lamp Shades Replacement Shade

Dignified but Oh So Cute Scottie Dog Scottish Terriers are Fun Collectibles

May 31st, 2012

The Noble Scottie Dog

The window in my office is positioned just slightly to the left, behind my computer screen. The office itself is on the front of the building so my window faces the sidewalk. Just now there is a Cardinal hopping around in the street. With the window in my line of vision, I can’t help noticing any movements outside and it breaks up the tedious hours of work.

My favorite distraction is the unknown Lady with her impressive Scottie Dog. He obviously has multiple personalities and moods. This winter he was dressed in a very stylish red, white and black coat. He pranced solemnly and looked quite autocratic. Other days, he seemed to put on airs, displaying a swaggering gate as if he felt regal.

It’s quite comical how he can appear aloof and conceited one day, and the next seem like a relaxed little puppy, curious about everything. Then the next day he is again aloof and pompous!

Maybe that’s why the Scottish Terrier has been such a desired Collectible. If you love these dignified, yet charming little creatures, I’m sure your eye gravitates towards anything Scotty. My favorite is comical pigs, but when this Proud little fellow goes past my window, work stops for a minute as I watch until he is out of sight. He lifts my spirit! Maybe yours too!

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Posted in Collectibles

Tags: Collectables Collectible Collectibles Scottie Dog Scottish Terrier Scotty Dog

Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother by Collecting Symbols of Their Life

February 29th, 2012

My Father passed away last Wednesday at the age of 87. He and my Mother were married 65 1/2 years, raised 3 Daughters and 4 Sons, who have given them 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Memories of My Father

Although the last few years of pain and slowly losing the man He once was are over, He lived a honorable and productive life. He taught us all the value of hard work, helping others and doing the right thing.

As my family planned to say our Good-byes to Dad, we wanted to celebrate his life not just by displaying a photo history, but also with bits and pieces with real meaning, loaded with memories.

Since He spent 20 years as a milk distributor, we all brought Dairy Advertising and even some of his shirts with company advertising patches. He worked for Meadow Gold and Borden’s before acquiring his own distributorship for Sanitary Farm Dairies (Quality Chek’d) products, and later Swiss Valley, and Land -0-Lakes. These memories filled a big 3 X 6 foot table.

When He could not find someone to repair the refrigeration units of his milk trucks, He took a correspondence course and taught himself, later opening Jack’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.

My oldest Brother Jack later joined him and then took over that business. It tickles me to remember business calls where we would have to ask some customers if they were asking for “old Jack” or “young Jack”.

After retiring, Dad had a wood crafting business and He and Mom traveled the state selling their “Copeland Creations” at craft shows. Another table at his service was filled with crafts He had made and given as gifts to all of us. A portion of my Dairy collectibles is displayed in our kitchen, on one of the shelves He made.

Dad liked advertising and had a Huge collection of Coffee Mugs. If you have loved ones in business, or involved in special activities that they love, collections of Advertising or the fruits of their labors can become such very special treasures.