Sandy and I have become very interested in the rescue of Pairpoint Lamps. We have noticed for years the proliferation of unused and discarded bases because they are missing their original decorated glass shades. After all, a lamp without it's shade isn't very functional, especially when Pairpoint was known for their glass puffy and reverse-painted shades? In the hundred years that have passed since these lamps were popular, many, many shades were broken or lost, and they’re not replaceable. Unfortunately, for many people, when the glass shade was broken, the lamp went to the garage or attic, not realizing that Pairpoint lamps are really defined by their bases. This misperception creates an unfortunate but practical reality.
Most people don’t realize that Pairpoint offered their lamps in scores of configurations and finishes that included numerous hardware variations as well as Parchment and Silk Oval, Conical, and Empire-style shades. Pairpoint purchased their silk shades from the Murray M. Harvey Manufacturing Co., 6 E. 39th Street, New York, in three sizes, 8”, 12”, and 16”. Armed with this information, no Pairpoint lamp base needs to be abandoned, or considered illegitimate, for want of a glass shade. All that is required to rescue these lamps, and retain their original splendor, is to slightly reconfigure the top hardware to accept an after-market glass or non-glass shade. This is what Pairpoint did when a customer wanted something other than a Puffy or Reverse-Painted shade. Even original owners would change-out their shades as their tastes and styles changed. Pairpoint offered hundreds of configurations for their bases. We have many hundreds of original catalog pages available to anyone attempting to see how their lamp base was originally configured...just contact us through the Message Center tab.
Arguably, no lamp manufacturer from any decade over the last hundred years made better lamps than Pairpoint; lamps purchased today cannot come close to the quality of materials, workmanship, or design…and they are expensive. An astute consumer, having an eye for quality and an appreciation of history, would serve himself well to purchase a derelict Pairpoint lamp base and have it restored and rewired prior to installing a current Silk, Conical, Empire, or even an appropriate later-vintage reverse-painted shade. When all is said and done, the consumer will have a high quality historically significant utilitarian work of art to fill a necessary place in the home. And, the lamp will retain its value while the new lamp depreciates to second-hand status as soon as it leaves the retail store.
Marion and Sandra Frost
June 8, 2022
Most people don’t realize that Pairpoint offered their lamps in scores of configurations and finishes that included numerous hardware variations as well as Parchment and Silk Oval, Conical, and Empire-style shades. Pairpoint purchased their silk shades from the Murray M. Harvey Manufacturing Co., 6 E. 39th Street, New York, in three sizes, 8”, 12”, and 16”. Armed with this information, no Pairpoint lamp base needs to be abandoned, or considered illegitimate, for want of a glass shade. All that is required to rescue these lamps, and retain their original splendor, is to slightly reconfigure the top hardware to accept an after-market glass or non-glass shade. This is what Pairpoint did when a customer wanted something other than a Puffy or Reverse-Painted shade. Even original owners would change-out their shades as their tastes and styles changed. Pairpoint offered hundreds of configurations for their bases. We have many hundreds of original catalog pages available to anyone attempting to see how their lamp base was originally configured...just contact us through the Message Center tab.
Arguably, no lamp manufacturer from any decade over the last hundred years made better lamps than Pairpoint; lamps purchased today cannot come close to the quality of materials, workmanship, or design…and they are expensive. An astute consumer, having an eye for quality and an appreciation of history, would serve himself well to purchase a derelict Pairpoint lamp base and have it restored and rewired prior to installing a current Silk, Conical, Empire, or even an appropriate later-vintage reverse-painted shade. When all is said and done, the consumer will have a high quality historically significant utilitarian work of art to fill a necessary place in the home. And, the lamp will retain its value while the new lamp depreciates to second-hand status as soon as it leaves the retail store.
Marion and Sandra Frost
June 8, 2022
RSS Feed