Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Amazing Crown Lamp


     One Saturday morning, my friend Carolyn and I were on a mission to find a simple glass butter dish. After exhausting all our normal options, we decide to check out the Salvation Army. They always have lots of glass stuff, right? So in we go...
We find the bottom tray of a butter dish, but it has no lid. This is a bust. I walk to the back of the store to check out this neon green lamp that has cork wrapped around its middle. As I am wondering who in the world thought that would be a good idea, my eyes move toward the lamp beside it. It is a huge, milk glass crown! It has this horrible looking yellowed drum shade on it. I call my friend over to look at it. As we stand there laughing and trying to decide what kind of shade would look right on a monstrosity such as this, I realize that I LUUUUUUUUUUVE it. It is so whimsical and shabby chic-y! Its marked $40 and I know my husband would kill me if I bought it, so we head home. But, of course, once I get home I have decided that maybe if HE sees the lamp, he will understand. (I know, I know. But I am out of my mind by this point. I HAVE to have it.)
After some begging...i mean discussion, I finally convince him to run down there with me and look a it. When we get there he says we can't pay $40 for it. I ask if I can make them an offer, and He says if I can get it down to $20, then we can get it. Oh boy. I know that will be hard. I mean, we are at the Salvation Army for goodness sake, but I find the manager and I ask her if she would be willing to go down on the price of one of their lamps. She asks which one and I say the crown lamp. "Isn't it beautiful?" she says. "It's very interesting" is all I can say. I mean, I can't show how much I love it or she will know I am desperate. She asks me how much I can spend and I tell her $20. She says she can't do half off, so I say how about $25? And then she says, OK!!! Hubby says yes, and we take my prize home! He cleans her up, and removes the top light kit and shade. Now it is just the beautiful white crown.

Isn't it AMAZING?!?!



But that isn't the end of the story...
Hubby and I decided to do some research online and see if we can figure out what this thing is. We discover that it was one of those milk glass globes that use to be on the top of gas pumps. Then on day I get a picture text from my dad...




He was at a car show and saw my amazing crown lamp! The guy selling the gas pump tells my dad that my lamp is worth between $800 and $1000!!! (Are you jumping up and down with me yet?) It was such an Antiques Roadshow moment. :)



No, no, I would never sell it, but how fun is it to know I have such a treasure?!? I told hubby it would have to be grabbed in the event of a fire. (Just kidding... maybe. ;)

2 comments:

Stephanie Tillery said...

Such a fun story!!! I love the lamp! Sounds like something I would do. :)

Hyphen Interiors said...

Aw, good story, good risk!