Friday, September 30, 2016

French Country: Old Sconces, New Look

I've been watching for two old sconces for my bathroom for a long time.
They were all too new, too gaudy, too expensive.
But then I found just what I was looking for at an estate sale.

I wanted something with turn-of-the-century character and style 
but small enough to work in my tiny bathroom.
So, take a look . . . aren't these just gorgeous?


They are in need of re-wiring and re-connecting and replacing bits and pieces, 
but, oh, they captured my heart at first glance. 
And only $20 for the pair!


The thing that really caught my eye was the charming profile of the woman in the center. 
So delicate and pretty.


The jolly man in the plaid shirt who sold them to me told me they were "very very old."  
He said "she" wouldn't have let him sell them.
I assume he was referring to his wife who had probably passed.

Then, he proudly showed me his gazillion bird houses and feeders. 
I so enjoyed talking with this elderly man with the twinkle in his eye.
It's one of the reasons I love these sales so much.

Here you can see where someone slopped paint along the edges.


I'm definitely no expert but I think these sconces might have
a little Venetian or French-inspired influence. At least, I hope so. 
I'm guessing they're from the early 20th century, judging from the design and the old wiring.
Ron plans to rewire the sconces and tighten up the creaky joints
before hanging them in the bathroom.

PLAN B
Well my friends, things don't always turn out the way you think they're going to.
When Ron got into the project, he discovered the arms of the sconces had been badly broken, probably dropped, and soldered back together.
This effectively closed off the channels for the wiring. Permanently.
Sometimes Humpty Dumpty just can't be put back together again.

So, on to Plan B.
Ron squeezed JB Weld into the wobbly joints. When this epoxy is dry, it's rock solid.
He says it's the next best thing to actual welding. It actually glues metal together.


Removing old paint splatters with Zip Strip,
then toning down the shine with matte medium tidied them up nicely.
A big thank you to Ron for all his hard work restoring these sconces.
Like most renovations, it took a lot longer than we'd thought.



Once they were put back together, we mounted them on the living room fireplace wall . . .


and put battery-operated candles in them.


They may not be the bathroom sconces I thought they'd be
but it's good to be flexible when dealing with old things that don't cooperate, don't you think?
Hey, I'm talking about the sconces here people!


And here's the final result. 
I'm still totally in love with them, maybe even more.


And they look right at home in my old house. 


I have searched on-line but haven't been able to find anything similar to these
to learn more about them.
They're quite heavy, probably cast iron.
If you know anything about this type of sconce, I would love to hear from you.

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Linking with:

One More Time EventsRustic & RefinedDwellingsBetween Naps on the Porch,
Coastal CharmCedar Hill FarmhouseA Stroll Thru LifeSavvy Southern Style,
A Delightsome LifeHave a Daily Cup of Mrs. OlsonThe Vintage NestPeonies and Orange BlossomsPoofing the PillowsAdirondack Girl at HeartRooted in Thyme,
Shabby Art BoutiqueFrench Country Cottage

39 comments:

  1. They are wonderful!
    The "jewelry" that adds just the right touch, bling bling!

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    1. Thank you Christine! Yes indeed, I love the bling bling too.

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  2. I think they found their rightful place in your living room - they fit in beautifully!

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    1. Thank you so much. I hope they look like they've always been there. So glad you like them.

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  3. They are just beautiful! What a wonderful job Ron did!
    I just love old vintage stuff!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Diane M.

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    1. Thank you very much! Ron enjoyed your comments too. So glad you stopped by for a visit.

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  4. I love your sconces. My first thought for the material that they are possible made of is 'pot metal' which a lot of decorative cast things were made of. It can be heavy also. Here is a link about pot metal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_metal

    Your sconces look wonderful where you put them and what a great idea using those battery candles.

    Thanks for the tip on JB weld. Not having my husband here with me to have him fix things, this is great for me to have on hand for certain projects. I need to see if HD carries it. They should.

    Enjoy fall and your new/old sconces.

    Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Thank you Lorraine! I didn't know about pot metal and will check out the link you sent me. Thanks! HD does carry JB Weld and it's handy to have around. Glad you liked the sconces. Hugs to you,

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  5. I love the sconces, mirror and how you have styled your fireplace. It is a very lovely room!

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    1. Thank you Joanie! I really appreciate your sweet comments. The room is all set for the cold weather just around the corner.

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  6. They look stunning on either side of the mirror, Sometimes it's funny how things don't turn out at all as planned but in the end even better and besides you bought them for a great price. Hope you are having a lovely weekend x

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    1. Thank you Susan! Maybe the "B" in Plan B should stand for Better! Warm hugs to you,

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  7. Beautiful sconces. Thanks for posting. I will be on the lookout for similar ones.

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    1. Thank you Brenda. Good luck finding some similar sconces. I heard today they are probably Louis xvi revival from the '20s. Enjoy your weekend.

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  8. Pat, I think you found some charmers! They look perfect above the mantel, and the solution is a great idea. You have a handy husband!

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    1. Oh Sarah, you're too sweet! Thanks so much. Ron loved your comment too. Happy October!

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  9. They sconces may not have been up to plan A, plan B is beautiful. I love how they look along side of the mirror. I would love for you to share this post and some of your other charming posts at http://www.bluewillowhouse.com/2016/10/01/snickerdoodle-createbakemake-link-party-151/

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    1. Thank you Sharon! I'm happy with Plan B too. Thanks for inviting me to your Snickerdoodle party. I did share this post but it was too late to link back to your blog. Next time!

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    2. I am featuring your sconces at Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make link party today!

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    3. I am featuring your sconces at Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make link party today!

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  10. They're beautiful....and look perfect in their new home.

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    1. Thank you Linda. I think they're beautiful too! Enjoy your weekend.

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  11. Oh wow. I have a real thing for old light fixtures and those sconces are gorgeous! Great find.
    :) gwingal

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    1. Thanks Nikki! I love old light fixtures too--just need a few more outlets! I just figured out how to get the candles to stand upright in the too-big cups...toilet paper rolls! Easy to trim and overlap to fit. Yay!

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  12. The sconces are really gorgeous, Pat, and they look wonderful on each side of the mirror. I love the lady in the center of them. They are so romantic and lend a nice vintage appeal. Thanks for sharing with us and have a beautiful day.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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    1. Thanks Sandi! So happy to hear from you. I agree the sconces make the room romantic and suit the age of my old house. Take care.

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  13. What a great find, Pat! They look perfect! Thank you so much for linking up and sharing at Dishing It & Digging It. We enjoy seeing your creativity each week! :)

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    1. Thank you Lori! I'm still looking for sconces for the bathroom but these work so well in the living room. Plan B is better!

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  14. Hello, What a great find!! O love them and using the battery operated candles. I just think they are perfect! Blessings. Roxy

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    1. Thank you Roxy! Yes, they were quite a find. The funny thing is the candles cost more than the sconces! So glad you liked the whole package.

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  15. They are beautiful Pat and look gorgeous in your home! Thanks for sharing them with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. Thank you Jann! I think they bring a little old-world to my living room. Hope you enjoy the weekend.

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  16. I can see why you fell for these! $20 is a score! The battery operated candles don't look cheap at all! Nicely done! Thank you for sharing. I love getting a glimpse into other's homes.

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    1. Thank you Renee! Score! I love peeking into people's homes too!

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  17. Thanks for sharing the blog about the scones. It was even better getting to see them first hand.

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    1. Thank you Jan! So happy to hear from you. It worked! The "scones" are still standing up straight. Yay!

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  18. They look wonderful. I have a sconce similar to that. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Rebecca

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  19. They look absolutely beautiful over your mantel, Pat! Thanks for introducing me to two new products--JD Weld and Zip-Strip. I've added them to my shopping list :) Thanks for linking up your lovely sconces at Vintage Charm--

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  20. So pretty! What a great find! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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