I initially thought that I would paint it to get rid of the turquoise parts. After it sat around for a while, the turquoise began to grow on me and I decided to leave it as is ... and then I put it in the basement with the rest of my treasures, since I didn't really have a place to use one lamp.
A few weeks ago, at a different Goodwill in another town, I found this lamp.
It's the same lamp! Looks like you're seeing double doesn't it?
Now that I have a pair of these beauties, I knew exactly what to do with them. I figured that they would be perfect on the dresser in our master bedroom.
The shades on these lamps are ones that I already had on hand. They are totally the wrong size and color, and they're borderline worn out, but they do the job for now.
One day I will think about what to put on that big blank wall ... eventually.
Goodwill craziness! Can't help but wonder if they split up someone's donation. Amazing find of the matching lamp. I love when that happens, though a rare occurrence indeed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blank wall space to fill. Maybe you need another trip to Goodwill. :)
For filling that blank space … all it will take is some inspiration and a quick trip to either my basement or attic. I’m thinking that I will hang a mirror or two (I have a thing for mirrors, too) and, perhaps, a piece or two from my pile of vintage amateur rose paintings. Choices are endless!
DeleteDuring college breaks I lived with my Grandma. In my room was a huge dresser with even 'huger' mirror above. With Grandma's collection of antique crystal vases I would choose one, arrange foliage/flowers from her garden, and place dead center on the dresser. With the pair of matching lamps, I had nothing else on the dresser. OMG. Those flowers live & reflected still fill me with joy almost 40 years later.
DeleteLittle did I know then, getting my engineering degree, the flowers would WIN :)
XO T
I got out of the habit of having things on the dresser when we adopted our former cat, Amy. Her method of waking us up each morning was to hop onto the dresser, smack everything up there onto the floor, then sit facing the mirror and meow at us in bed behind her. Amy is gone now (and I miss her antics), but the habit of having and empty dresser top has continued.
Delete(I have a huge oak turn-of-the-century dresser mirror that is the front runner in my idea of what to do with that wall.)
Perfect! I bet they were donated as a pair. They go to the local distribution center where things get split up-unfortunately. I have had that happen with dishes, too. I am like you- I LOVE lamps!!!!! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI love them, too!! Discovered years apart, and from two different Goodwill regions, makes it unlikely that they were ever a pair. Could have been, though ... that's the fun of the mystery.
DeleteYou obviously live a charmed life - I'm jealous of your fabulous lamps!
ReplyDeletePart of the charm is another bit of the story. When I found the second lamp, I wasn't sure about whether it actually matched the first one or not. So, I went home, checked the other lamp, confirmed that the matched, and went back THE NEXT DAY to buy it.
DeleteIt was meant to be! Fun!
ReplyDeleteI think you're right!
DeleteOh my goodness! That is so random to find matching lamps years apart like that. I love the shape, super finds!!
ReplyDeletehugs,
linda
Felt as if I had to pinch myself when I confirmed that these two lamps did, indeed, match each other.
DeleteThat is a miracle! :) Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteNormally, I would think of miracles as being more significant and earth shattering than finding a matching pair of lamps like this ... except for when they're super awesome lamps like this, of course. :)
DeleteWhat a serendipitous find, and such a charming pair! Oh, the joy of the reunion, and who knows the things they're telling each other about their long separation, and how glad they are to be together again.
ReplyDeleteI've made quite a few strange little finds of "matches" over the years, one oddity of which was a beautiful little tablecloth, embroidered with flowers and the words, "It's Spring and time to plant the seeds," and then in another store months later, a small crockery bowl with the same flowers and legend. And in another store, just by finite chance---a tiny ceramic "spreader" for whatever you planned to serve in that bowl, with the same flowers and leaves on the handle. Such an odd confluence of insignificant events, but they made the set even more special.
I'm joining to return and feast on your lovely archives.
rachel
It sounds like there are at least a few of us hard-core thrift shoppers who have made matches with our finds over the years. Probably bound to happen at least once, if you spend as much time junk shopping as many of us do.
DeleteWow, major score! I really like them too.
ReplyDeleteJust read about your trip to Ireland...how fantastic! There are so many places that I'd like to visit, and Ireland is one of them. Looks like a good time.
Ireland was right at the top of my list of places to visit, and I am SO glad that I got to do it.
DeleteWhat are the odds you would find a match, and two years apart? Maybe those were common lamps at some time, who knows, but it's a neat story (and I like the turquoise).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that there are math-genius type people who could calculate those odds ... I am not one of them.
DeleteThe only clue to the origin of the lamps was a paper label that led me to a web site. It's a brand that's mostly carried in furniture stores, and now can be ordered online. This style wasn't one of the ones that I found to be available, either in their current inventory or by searching Google images. It's gonna just have to stay a mystery, I guess.
Those are beautiful lamps and such a fun story. I had something similar happen with high-end bedside tables, a couple of years apart from two different neighbors' TRASH! I've often wondered if one trash-picked it from the other (breaking up the set of which I got the other), and then they put it out when moving. Somehow they didn't seem like the trash pickin' sort, but who knows. I never will, but I couldn't believe my luck!
ReplyDeleteYour table story totally trumps my lamp find. I have $22.98 in these babies (the first one was $9.99 and the other cost $12.99), yours were free AND in your neighborhood. What luck!
DeleteOh my gosh! Can't believe you found a matching lamp!
ReplyDeleteTotally outside the realm of probability, I can comfortably say.
DeleteNow, how cool is that?!?!?!?! That is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteHow about the painting your husband did of you and your sweet greyhound over this chest? Or another of his paintings.
Happy Holidays ~ FlowerLady
That painting of Daniel and me lives in a grouping of some of my other favorite paintings in our dining room, where I can enjoy it throughout the day. I'm thinking now that some vintage mirrors (I have a million of them) and some other paintings may be just what that spot needs.
DeleteOkay, Connie. You already know my comments are off-beat. I just wanted to tell FlowerLady Lorraine Happy Holidays. Since we last communicated the only blog I follow is Connie's. I've joined the ranks of widowhood. As you have preceded me you know how grief can sap your energy. Connie always posts just often enough to remind me of who I was and the woman I will be again someday. (Connie ~ I'm just thinking a collection of different mirrors ~ as someone previous remarked ~ serendipity)!
DeleteDearest Lynn ... when I didn't hear from you for so long, I figured that it was caused by your husband's illness. I am very, very sorry to hear that he passed.
DeleteThank you, Connie. Your comment is much appreciated. Take care.
DeleteGreat find! That is amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'm still blown away by it. Thrilled, of course, and a bit amazed.
DeleteI also have a lamp fetish...currently four that need rewiring (will happen after I visit the Black Penny) this weekend. And my latest obsession is alabaster lamps. They find me, have one coming from southern Virginia in a week, a friend inherited it, and thought of me. I'm beyond excited. But I love it when I find a mate that got lost, only happened once to me. They are perfect for your bedroom!
ReplyDeleteJust another of the many things that we have in common, Donna, dear. Alabaster lamps? I scored a pair of them with lovely art nouveau bases at Lucketts years ago. They are some of my favorites!
DeleteYou found its match!! That is absolutely wonderful. Even lamps deserve a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteLove that ... happy endings, even for lamps!
DeleteLOL! Love when things like that happen!
ReplyDeleteWhich seems like NEVER!
:)
The miracle in this story is that I didn't buy the second lamp when I first saw it. I figured that there was no way that it was a match, so I left it behind that day. Went home, checked the first lamp, was surprised to find that they matched, and went back to buy the second one.
Delete