Old Lights Put to Modern Use 
THE SERVICEABLE AND DECORATIVE QUALITIES OF ANTIQUES 
FROM HOME AND ABROAD— SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR 
ARRANGEMENT 
S O much handicraft went into the 
turning and welding of old lights 
of brass and copper and pewter, handi¬ 
craft that served the double purpose of 
fashioning a thing of beauty and a thing 
of usefulness, that those who possess 
such lights should put them to modern 
use — give them a Twentieth Century 
justification. An old pressed glass can¬ 
dlestick, for example, may be “as ugly 
as sin"; if so, to the glory-hole of the 
attic with it, or to the secret cupboard 
where the collector keeps his black sheep ! 
But if the shape and proportions be good, 
put it out to view or give it opportunity 
to show once more its ante-bellum use¬ 
fulness. 
And there is a modern use for these 
old lights gathered from every corner of 
the globe, lights filled with history of the 
people they have lit of nights in home 
sanctuary. Some can only be placed 
around the house as decorative detail, en¬ 
hancing the value of a glum old piece of 
dark oak, or completing the feeling of 
period of an exquisite mahogany dresser. 
In a hall of good size, an old ship's lantern — or its excellent and 
clever reproduction—can well be used. It generally has a base 
and cap of brass and bands enclosing horn or glass lights that 
give a warm, soft glow quite sufficient for an entrance. In a 
smaller hall, an eight-sided 
tin lantern, brightly scoured 
and suspended from an odd¬ 
shaped bracket, lends a Colo¬ 
nial air. 
At the stair landing an old 
Persian lantern, with per¬ 
forated sides, makes by day 
a distinguished silhouette; if 
A Roman lamp of brass, 
Spanish church light, 
as modern table lights 
fitted for electricity it shows up well at 
night against the darkness above. 
One feels that gilt and glass go best 
in the drawing-room. A set of old 
Girondolas, their crystal pendants hiding 
Paul and Virginia, drooping together be¬ 
neath the palms, adds a touch of old- 
fashioned sentiment to the mantel-piece. 
Since crystal pendant lights have come 
into vogue again, such Girondolas are 
adaptable to most drawing-rooms. 
Grouping old lights often proves an 
effective treatment in the parlor. A 
dainty glass lamp originally used with 
sperm oil is easily converted by a Prince's 
burner into a serviceable lamp for the 
small table. A simple, ground-glass 
globe etched with a formal sprig of 
flowers, will add the necessary comple¬ 
ment and lend an 1840 look to it. On 
either side may be placed glass lamps of 
the same style, much as they were placed 
originally, with pewter collars and 
double-tube wick-holders and a tiny cap 
hung by its chain. On the table in front 
of this trio set a silver tray and snuffers, which will complete a 
pretty group. Or, again, there could be used a larger old lamp— 
the sort that has a gilt shaft and ornamented globe. Cleverly 
enough, the electrician can run a wire up the shaft where sperm 
oil once sputtered. But the steady glow of an electric bulb 
excuses the sacrilege of its 
more ancient sputtering sis¬ 
ters of bygone days and 
usages. Nothing is lovelier in 
an old-fashioned drawing¬ 
room than these lights. In¬ 
cidentally, they also can be 
converted into truly service¬ 
able bedside lamps with the 
a Jewish candlestick and a 
1 he taller two can be used 
From Provence a five-pointed drip lamp 
of hammered brass suitable for matches 
anywhere in the house 
In the center, an old-fashioned Southern stairway lamp with adjustable glass shield; 
above on the left a ship's "Gimbel lamp"; on the right a “Betty lamp of bronze 
The rosin dip of this Breton hearth light 
was used ordinarily, the candle for 
fete days only 
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