| Saving our lighting heritage one shade at a time | Sunday, 4 May 2025 - 1:11 |
This square cut corner lampshade cover is in good condition but the inside liner was shredding. I removed the original trim, replaced the liner with silk and replaced the original trim.
Cut Corner Lampshade Liner Repair
Cut Corner Lampshade with New Silk Liner
This large pleated lampshade was literally shredding. It is not the first time I have restored a pleated lampshade that seemed to be pleated paper. I could tear the cover lengthwise and across the pleats. The original cover was not even stained or anything, just falling apart.
Large Pleated Scalloped Lampshade Restored with Pleated Muslin Fabric
I restored the shade with pleated muslin fabric.
Antique Floor Lamp Bell Shade Stained from Age
Restored Antique Bell Lampshade
This antique bell lampshade was in desperate need of repairs. The fabric was very discolored and stained from old age.
The original trim was very aged but sewn on, not glued. As I removed the trim, I could see the inside of the trim was in mint condition. The original trim is ivory with gold and silver accents that matched the lamp base. I reattached the original trim with small sewn stitches. When the shade is lit, the trim looks like zig zag trim, popular in the 1950’s. With the light off, you could not see the zig zag design. It was a pleasantly surprise.
Restored Antique Bell Lampshade
There was just enough trim to go around the shade. The seam of the original trim was fraying. The seam is actually the back of the shade. In an attempt to hide the ragged trim seam, I made a beaded band wide enough to cover the seam. As I sat back and looked at the shade with the beaded band, it looked like an ornament on a ladies hat. I was very pleased with the finish.
Antique Bell Floor Lamp Shade
Antique Floor Lamp with Bell Shade. The shade sits on a floor lamp with a globe and 3 cluster bulbs around the globe. This antique shade was badly stained and the liner shredding from old age.
The lampshade wire was rusting. The rust works its way through the fabric and show visible . The rusting wire had to be cleaned and treated to be able to reuse the original frame.
Antique Bell Shade for A Globe Top Floor Lamp
Antique Bell Shade with a Shredding Liner
The cover and liner had to be completely replaced.
The original trim is ivory with gold and silver accents to coordinate with the lamp base. I did not think I would be able to reuse the original trim because it was so badly discolored. To my surprise, the inside of the trim was in excellent condition. I could not have been more pleased. I am passionate about saving trim that I know I cannot replace with todays market trims.
Antique Floor Lamp Bell Shade Stained from Age
After my customer picks up their shade, I will post the completed project. It is so very pretty.
There are two of these lace candlelight sconce lampshades. They were very well constructed. I have never seen so many tiny stitches in any shade. let alone such small shades. The original lace covers was embroidered lace with a very tiny design.
Embroidered Lace Candlelight Sconce Lampshades
I restored the candlelight shades using a technique where each panel is lined individually with a muslin fabric. I prefer this method when restoring small shades because I am able to thoroughly fire retard the liner.
I covered the shades with an ivory silk and then recovered them with a small designed lace. The silk shows between the top layer and bottom layer of lace. They are very pretty with the light on or off.
Restored Lace Candlelight Lampshades
Candlelight Lace Lampshades Restored
The candlelight pleated shades go on a desk lamp with two separate lights. The inside of the shade is styrene (plastic) covered with a muslin pleated fabric. The unique size makes these shades difficult to replace.
Candlelight Pleated Shades Before Repair
We restored the shades with Anna Marie Linen styrene (fabric laminated to plastic). The plastic styrene materials are used on shades which only have a top and bottom wire.
Candlelight Shades Restored with Anna Marie Linen Styrene
The shades are trimmed with grosgrain and old gold soutache.
As promised, the repaired antique lampshade heritage. The gentleman who originally owned the shade would be 106 but passed several years ago. The following is the shade and the heritage.
Antique Lampshade Restored
Antique Lampshade In Need of Repairs
(Quote) The shade is just beautiful. The shade was in such disrepair for so long that I barely remember what it looked like all put together. The shade dates to the middle to late 20’s. The floor lamp on which it sits is single touchier with a single arm.
The lamp originally lived comfortably on Riverside Drive, NYC. The lamp shade was moved to a townhome in Greenwich Village also in NYC surrounded by beautiful antiques of many different periods.
The lamp is still surrounded by antiques of many periods and is used now, as it was used then, as a reading lamp. It proudly sits next to the same red leather chair as it always did.
Now that the shade is back where it belongs, we look forward to curling with a good book.
Thank you for such a wonderful job. (Unquote)
This shade has, what looks to be, hand inked flower drawings on three of the six panels. They are so awesome.
Museum Quality Shade
Antique Lampshade with Hand Inked Lilly Flowers
Antique Lampshade with Hand Inked Flowers on One of the Six Panels
Antique Lampshade with Hand Inked Rose on One of the Six panels
Three of the six panels has this antique gold stamped imprint. I say stamped because they were identical.
Antique Lampshade with Gold Stamped Imprint
What a Beautiful Warm Shade!
A very special “Thanks” to my client for the historic information and “Saving Our Lighting Heritage!”
This was such an unusual restoration request. Most always I am replacing the liner or replacing the fabric cover and liner. Restoring of the shade is typically to save the lamp base. On this particular project, my service was to save the original cover of this shade.
Antique Hexagon Lampshade
The orange discoloration is an authentic indication of history. The hexagon wire is covered with some kind of waxed lightweight cardboard. It looks like original inked drawings have been decoupaged onto 3 of the panels. The shade has been held together by an orange cellophane tape over a metallic gold trim.
Historic Antique Lampshade
This shade is being restored this weekend and will be shipped to my customer on Monday. I asked not to be told the history of this shade until I was done with the restoration. I believe it is a museum quality shade.
Will post finished project after my customer receives his restored shade.
Torn, shredding lampshade liners can be repaired if the cover fabric is not weak and brittle. This pretty frame had a deteriorating liner but the cover was sturdy.
Lampshade Liner Repair
To start the project, you first have to remove the trim. Removing the original trim can sometimes be challenging and other times it pulls right off with no problem. I never know exactly what I am getting into until I start the project. This particular trim cam off with ease.
Silk Liner Repair
I replaced the liner with an ivory silk charmeuse.
This original black-out lampshade was restored with a beige linen styrene. Lampshade styrene is fabric laminated to a hard plastic. It is used for lampshades that only have a top and bottom wire.
Desktop Lamp with Blackout Shade
The original black-out material does not allow light to show through the shade. The light comes through the top opening and bottom opening of the shade. It kind of gives a silhouette look but does not light up the surrounding area.
Original Desktop Lamp Restored with Beige Linen Styrene Lampshade
The beige linen I used to repair this shade allows the light to show through the shade.
Beige Linen Lampshade on Original Lamp Base with Adjusting Shade Height
My customer has received the repaired shade. This repaired shade is on the original desktop lamp. This lamp is just awesome.