If you’re just discovering Swank Lighting’s gorgeous array of
vintage Murano glass lamps and
contemporary glass art lamps, you might not be familiar with their serendipitous beginning. You can read a full history on their
about page, but to sum it up: Ed and Doug came across an absolute treasure trove of crates of vintage Murano glass lamps a few years ago---and bought the entire inventory then and there!
While the glass only needed a bit of cleaning, the rest of the lamps were in dire need of restoration. Lamps would have to be rewired for safety codes and aesthetics, and many of the other lamps parts had to be replaced. Namely, the bases. The original bases were one of either three materials: brass, wood or pot metal. And while they were no doubt beautiful when the lamps first began their lives, after being stored for so long, the original bases didn’t fare so well.
Next up was the decision to decide which types of bases to put on the newly rewired and restored lamps. Taking many factors into consideration, the Swank Lighting lamp experts went with a versatile little material called Lucite.
Hard, clear and oh-so-pretty, Lucite is a great material to use for a lamp base for many reasons. It’s sturdy and strong, ensuring that it will support your lamp securely, but it’s also fairly decent at thwarting dents, cracks, chips and scratches. Being clear-colored, it goes with any other material, either on the lamp or in your space. Instead of taking away from the beauty of the glass, a Lucite base allows for the lamp to visually become the art of the piece, as it was intended to be!
If it seems off to put a modern material on a vintage lamp---Lucite’s not that modern! In fact, many important designers in the past used Lucite as an accent in interiors, like
William Haines and
James Mont. By 1945, it had already become a popular material in high-end furniture. Sleek, strong and unassuming, Lucite is a perfect accent for ANY style of décor in your home.
While the glass only needed a bit of cleaning, the rest of the lamps were in dire need of restoration. Lamps would have to be rewired for safety codes and aesthetics, and many of the other lamps parts had to be replaced. Namely, the bases. The original bases were one of either three materials: brass, wood or pot metal. And while they were no doubt beautiful when the lamps first began their lives, after being stored for so long, the original bases didn’t fare so well.
Next up was the decision to decide which types of bases to put on the newly rewired and restored lamps. Taking many factors into consideration, the Swank Lighting lamp experts went with a versatile little material called Lucite.
Hard, clear and oh-so-pretty, Lucite is a great material to use for a lamp base for many reasons. It’s sturdy and strong, ensuring that it will support your lamp securely, but it’s also fairly decent at thwarting dents, cracks, chips and scratches. Being clear-colored, it goes with any other material, either on the lamp or in your space. Instead of taking away from the beauty of the glass, a Lucite base allows for the lamp to visually become the art of the piece, as it was intended to be!
If it seems off to put a modern material on a vintage lamp---Lucite’s not that modern! In fact, many important designers in the past used Lucite as an accent in interiors, like William Haines and James Mont. By 1945, it had already become a popular material in high-end furniture. Sleek, strong and unassuming, Lucite is a perfect accent for ANY style of décor in your home. 
