1917 Canadian Georgian Revival

[JacquieJet]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[JacquieJet]

Ok, a new question... I recently found what I think is an original sconce from my house, tucked away in a storage space. Unfortunately, there was only one there. I've looked all over, but can't find its pair, I'm guessing it has been lost to the years. Anyway, I really want to strip off the chunky white paint and re-wire it and use it, but obviously would need to find one similar to it for the opposing wall. Any ideas where I could find something like this? Vintage or reproduction? Thanks!

[lovesickest]

Keep your eye on CL, Kijiji and Ebay. I often search and re-search using vague terms like "old light"(or retro, or antique or 1920's, etc). Many sellers really don't know about antiques so an 1880's thing can be described as french provincial or 1950's (or vice versa). You may find the shade here and the sconce there.

Also - with sconces, I can't tell you how many people have listed them as SCONES (like the breakfast pastry).

Do you know about paint removal with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) ? De-wire the light fixture, take it apart the best you can. Use an old pot that will NEVER be used for cooking, fill it with water, and dump some TSP in when it's boiling. Plunk the parts in and cook them for awhile. Check on them periodically, but at a certain point most or all of the paint will melt off. Remove from the TSP bath with tongs (the metal is hot), rinse under cool water, then work away at any remaining paint with a tool that won't scratch the metal. Reboil as necessary. This method leaves the original patina of the metal which I prefer. Don't use this method on anything with a porcelain enamel coating as it will dull that finish, though.

[JacquieJet]

Great tips, Lovesickest! Thank you!!

A local realtor here listed one of my neighbour's houses a couple years back as having "gorgeous wall scones!". UGH. As someone who did an English major in university, the cringe factor is HIGH for me, haha. I'll have to keep that in mind though and search for scones periodically! Thanks!

I have never heard of doing that with TSP. Thanks for the idea!!

[lovesickest]

I learned the TSP trick from one of the forums that preceded this one. It works amazingly well for all kinds of metal things like hinges, clothing hooks, fasteners, etc. I bought a couple of items (Eastlake door fastener, antique floor grate) for cheap on Ebay that other people wouldn't touch as they were so choked with paint. The best part is when the thing is de-painted that it has the original patina, so it looks antique but fresh.

There are other methods like using dishwashing liquid plus heat, or a couple of other recipes I can't remember. Some use a crock pot.

I have a giant enamel pot for canning that I got thrift shopping somewhere. I used this for a hanging light fixture that I took apart.

The sludge that cooks off will be disgusting, and will definitely contain lead paint if the thing is old enough. Exercise reasonable caution, like wearing disposable gloves, and scrub the sink afterwards that this was poured into. It's a little stinky, but not overwhelming or eye-watering.

Yes, I have also seen several real estate listings that feature the sellers scones, that left me frowning and shaking my head as no pastry or recipes were featured in the realtors photos.

[JacquieJet]

That is super useful, thanks! That sounds like a great approach and great results. I think I've dealt with a lot of lead paint already when I was stripping paint off of my handrail and trim... so that probably won't be so bad.
Plus, this gives me an excuse to go thrifting, which is AWESOME! Heh heh!

[Texas_Ranger]

A local realtor here listed one of my neighbour's houses a couple years back as having "gorgeous wall scones!".

I s'pose they'd get eaten pretty quickly

[Mick_VT]

Keep your eye on CL, Kijiji and Ebay. I often search and re-search using vague terms like "old light"(or retro, or antique or 1920's, etc). Many sellers really don't know about antiques so an 1880's thing can be described as french provincial or 1950's (or vice versa). You may find the shade here and the sconce there.

Also - with sconces, I can't tell you how many people have listed them as SCONES (like the breakfast pastry).

Do you know about paint removal with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) ? De-wire the light fixture, take it apart the best you can. Use an old pot that will NEVER be used for cooking, fill it with water, and dump some TSP in when it's boiling. Plunk the parts in and cook them for awhile. Check on them periodically, but at a certain point most or all of the paint will melt off. Remove from the TSP bath with tongs (the metal is hot), rinse under cool water, then work away at any remaining paint with a tool that won't scratch the metal. Reboil as necessary. This method leaves the original patina of the metal which I prefer. Don't use this method on anything with a porcelain enamel coating as it will dull that finish, though.

I do something similar - except I use laundry detergent and a crock pot.. Be careful that you dont put anything in that would be harmed by water ( absorbent type materials etc.) It is often best to dismantle as much as you can before doing it too

[JacquieJet]

Thanks, Mick! That would be just like me... putting something cardboard into a TSP water bath, then saying "oops"... LOL.

[Gothichome]

JJet, just reread you conversation with Homescribe, there are examples of original Georgians with the front door to one end of the home. It's a New Brinswick thing. I'll see if I can find a pic. During those times and earlier, a lot of people forget that a lot of Maritime Canada was populated by the French, as the English, Dutch and Germans had influences on colonial and Georgan homes so did the French.