This exercise started about 2 years ago with the purchase of a very expensive French re-edition 2 arm wall light. Much to my disappointment and despite the marketing B.S. about maintaining the integrity of the early work the re-editions lack many of the original details along the hand made quality. With the 1950's originals selling at auction for ten of thousands and well out of reach the only way I was going to to get a correctly detailed light was to make my own. Two years, a lot of research and several wasted attempts, I now think I have a very accurate copy of the early lights.
The Casquette and Lampadaire shades are hand spun cut and deformed to more closely match the elegant original forms.
The brass joint has the grub screw and swivels correctly .I have used slotted cheese head screws, a brass bayonet bulb/globe holders and cloth covered wiring.This lights is I think pretty close to the original vintage lights an on the wall.
More Pictures at arcmodernedotcom arcmoderne .com
Greg –
I cannot tell you how impressed I am. Having working in machine shop for two years while in grad school, I know what it takes to spin aluminum, to turn compound brass elements, and to bend tubing without crushing it. This is just awesome.
My sincerest congratulations. If you ever feel the need to run a small batch of these and sell boxes of parts, please ping me offline. I'd be in, as the originals are unobtainable, and the new ones just don't cut it.
Can't take all the credit,I did have the spinning and the brass turning done by specialists. Getting the correct shapes was tricky, luckily the re-edition Casquette shades are not hand deformed so with trial and error I got it. Both shades come from the same spinning just hand cut and shaped differently [by me]. Serge Mouille really was a genius. The brass knuckles were made by gas fitting manufacture. Normally they make pipe elbows etc. Took us ages to get the compound curves correct. I ended up destroying my re-edition ones in the process as they were glued closed. Also discovered that the re-edition knuckles are no longer made true to the originals .
Its only when you pull a re-edition light to pieces that you realise they are only a distant relative of the 1950's originals. To me it's the hand made/finish that makes the originals so appealing, no two were ever exactly alike.
The attached pic shows the innards of a knuckle . The top right one was a first attempt, I"m having the springs remade as they are not strong enough.
Have had quite a bit of interest in these lights. Maybe my hobby will pay for itself ! Will set myself up properly next year .Heres is a 3 arm wall sconce going in to an Architects office here in Brisbane. Sent one to Melbourne and others are winging there way to Stocholm,Warsaw and Chicargo in time for Christmas .
You have accomplished what the expensive re-editions never even attempted. It's not just a look it is a quality engineered design piece that we all fall in love with. It really shouldn't be so difficult for these companies to provide a quality item for the outrageous prices they charge.
I doubt they'll even care that you have mastered the art as they will be more concerned about their profit margin.
Bravo, you will do well with these masterpieces!
Hi SDR
The white thing is a 'White Magic' abrasive pad which takes scuff marks off the matt black paintwork.
Current lights have a slight sheen as it it way easier to keep clean. They are bubble wrapped for shipping.
Here's a picture of a ceiling light I'm working on.
The correct 120mm hemispheres are done and I'm about to fit the tubes. Cutting the wholes in in the curve surface proved to be difficult. Will post more when I'm further along.
Also made an "Antony " light " ,a simple wall fixing with an inline rocker switch, makes versatile bedside light.
Cheers Greg
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