Mosaics Saved an Antique Globe

13 years ago

I KNOW this is too long a story, but.....

In a recent junkin' trip, I spied a lamp at a garage sale I just had to have. Seller said the lamp was 100 yrs. old. Obviously, from the spray painted base, I was skeptical of it's age, but liked it so I paid the $5.00. Seller warned me the globe was the original globe - 100 yrs. old and very fragile, and to be careful. Sooooo I wrapped the globe in my friend Becky's quilt in the back seat of her truck. Our next stop was where I bought another yard sale find - $125. for an almost new sofa and two chairs. I sat down to wait for Becky to finish her shopping, and didn't notice when she went to the truck to get the quilt to wrap one of her items. You guess it, I heard the globe shatter on the ground - broke into about 10 pieces. Painstakingly a week later I began to try to glue the very thin pieces back together, knowing I'd never find a suitable globe, especially to fit the decorative rim around the top. Almost gave up, but perservered! In the meantime I cut the bottom off a red vase that fit tetteringly on the lamp base, and glued red half marbles on so the light bulb wouldn't show - pictures in my link. Then ordered from Spectrum Home Furnishings - link follows - red pendants and beads for the lamp. Globe dry, I began to mosaic it w/orange glass - diamond-shaped pieces. Very pleased w/my work, I ordered amber chandelier pieces from Spectrum and viola my salvaged lamp is wonderful. What to do w/all the red chandelier parts - why of course - gaudy up another flea mkt. find - candelier. Yes, I plan to take down the Christmas decorations down today. Sorry for the long post.

Mosaiced globe and other pics

Spectrum Home Furnishings

Comments (12)

texaswild
Original Author
13 years ago
RATS!!! Can't get the site to come up. Trying again.
Pictures
silvamae
13 years ago
Wow, too cool! Don't you just love it when mosaics save the day?

Oh and you still have your Christmas decorations up? SHOCKing! (Just kidding, mine are still up too.) It's too dang cold to take down all the lights and greenery from the porches so it stays until the weather shapes up!
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nanatricia
13 years ago
I love that lamp ! Love when you can fix things!!!
wackyweeder
13 years ago
Love what you did with the lamp slow! and I just chimed in to say-Christmas deco is still in place.:(
astara
13 years ago
I wish I could see it - Im in the same boat as Slow - but it sounds wonderful. I always tell my kids that in Art some of the biggest Uh Ohs become a wonderful thing!
texaswild
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, y'all. Hey, ASTARA: Try the second one in this thread. Don't know what I did wrong on the first posting, but the second try works. I got the decorations down - phew! Yeah, SILVA - We still have snow on the ground from last week. Not complaining cuz I love it when it's snowing here.
astara
13 years ago
Beautiful! How do you get so much work done AND take down Christmas decorations?
texaswild
Original Author
13 years ago
LOL - ASTARA - I'm retired, so don't do a whole lot of anything else but play w/my toys.
Calamity_J
13 years ago
Good save Slow! I bet the lamp WANTED to be redone and was waiting just for YOU!!! heh heh! I think I've been hanging around Faeries and gnomes to much lately....
calinromania
13 years ago
Great Job. I first read a bit of the story (yea, way too long... psych!) and just opened the link and I went "where is the mosaic?"
Then I went back to the story and tried to figure out what you did. And then back to the picture.
Very good job.
I wish there was a BEFORE pic with the lamp.
:)
texaswild
Original Author
13 years ago
Sorry, CALIN: I never seem to remember to take b/a pics. The glass was clear iridescent, and the bulb w/have shown, so I really didn't like that part of it. Even if it hadn't been broken, I might have mosaiced over it. The antique quality didn't matter to me. I have an addiction to lamps.
concretenprimroses
13 years ago
Its beautiful!
I have a lamp addiction too which started when I did a lot of decoupage. My husband thinks I'm nuts cuz it also extends to shades. Theres just something about them. Do you mosaic them and give a gifts? I need to move some of mine out (to make room for more of course).
Kathy