Antique Lighting & Lamp Follow-up: Our Moe Bridges

Wifey and I spend a good deal of our free time hunting for antiques and vintage items for our home. With clipboard always handy, carried between the front seats of my van, it contains room, door, wall, window and other sizes, along with our needs list.

When on our travels, if an item pops up, we have a handy reference as to what we need and what size it has to be.

Besides the heart shaped lamps mentioned in a previous article, we have vintage floor lamps, table lamps, lighting fixtures and sconces, most pre-war and looking wonderful in our 1930’s home. Two are newer table lamps with older screen shades.

First, let me show you our reading light in the main bath, an old sconce, probably 19-teens. Purchased from a garage sale in an East Side neighborhood. You know the type, big old homes, most being updated and remodeled by new owners, and every home with a contractor’s yard sign out front to let the neighbors know they’re improving the neighborhood.

Our kitchen has a typical ceiling fixture of the period or slightly older than our home. Simply, it provides good lighting for the area and features a “kings thumb print” pattern.

Also in the kitchen, above the table is a Moe Bridges Lamp. A lamp designer and manufacturer from Milwaukee, famous for his table lamps with reverse painted lamp shades. Wifey had an opportunity to purchase two of his ceiling fixture creations. They came from a local antique store in Hales Corners, The Olde Store, one of many she visits regularly and always finding bargains to keep or resell. We are using one and the other was sold at a price that means our’s hangs free.

Then on to our Deco room. Here we have a ceiling light with large vintage glass shade, 15 inches in diameter, functional, and on a dimmer for atmosphere. Not sure this fixture ever dimmed before, without having an electrical storm. Purchased at two locations, the shade at a yard sale in an older neighborhood, the fixture itself was found at a Cedarburg flea market.

Also in the Deco room is a wonderful bridge lamp, adapted with a stained glass shade, rewired as are all the lamps and fixtures we use. Little used except when company is coming, this lamp accents the old pictures lining the walls of our Deco room, including 1920’s nudies and our old phonograph. Note also our glass accent lamp with nymph, on our cobalt blue glass top accent table, all from that 1930’s period.

A cranberry glass lamp sits atop our corner display case in the living room, providing just enough accent lighting in a darkened corner. This was an exceptional find at a Racine, Wisconsin thrift shop.

Here are the three painted screen shades, two found by wife at antique stores and one came from an estate sale. The one with birds is in our sunroom (lanai), the other two are in our living room, when unlit these shades appear dull and less interesting.

The only lamp left when we moved in was this electrified oil lamp in our back hall, and it hangs over our ice box, which we use to hold canned goods.

This wonderful piece was purchased at a garage sale in an older neighborhood, and is a great addition to our powder room. How many power rooms have hanging chandeliers?

I electrified this ornate metal box and added etched glass with our house number. I have no idea what its original purpose was or where it was used. I found this one at an antique mall near Racine, Wisconsin called School Days Antiques.

The next village over changed their street lamps and sold off the old ones. This lamp sits in our front yard. With small neon bulbs, it’s more of a decoration than yard lighting.

Watch for wifey’s note on her great find for the dining room, I’m sure she’ll relate that story soon.

What do you collect? Let us know.