One Lamp, Two Ways... My Divine Inspiration

  My obsession, or better yet passion, for turn of the ( 20th) century everything, goes way, way back~  Back to when I was a little girl living in Minneapolis, MN , ( my hometown). Unfortunately, I did not grow up living in a fabulous old Victorian or Colonial Revival home, but many of my close friends did. It was not because we could not afford to live in one of these wonderful homes, it was that my parents knew all too well what  was involved in upkeep and repairs of old, turn of the century, (proverbial) money pits. But, that is a whole other topic. I gained an appreciation for turn of the century houses and all that went along  with them such as art glass lighting, old mahogany woodwork, built- ins,  stained glass windows on stair landings, and even radiators because I was exposed to their beauty on a daily basis.   Bottom line , I gained my passion for the craftsmanship and feeling of history that is part of the soul of an old house. That divine feeling of old house  soul, has been with me ever since.

 My first brush with turn of the century lighting came from a sleepover at my childhood friend, May Sandbo's house. May lived in a beautifully restored English Tudor style home right on Lake of the Isles, near the Queen Anne style Victorian house from" The Mary Tyler Moore Show". May's mother was an antique dealer. The Sandbo's house had authentic Louis Comfort Tiffany lamps  scattered throughout the gorgeous home. Little did I know back then the value of these precious works of art.  Louis Comfort Tiffany lamps today can fetch up  to$ 45,000 a piece . Each lamp being bronze, handcrafted, and signed, they are the epitome of old house luxury. I too aspire to own one... or maybe two, some day.   ~ Nadia