Lighting Fixtures
When we were building our original little lagoon DAC-ART house I happened to run across some really inexpensive Pottery Barn catalog return light fixtures in Memphis. The simple sconces had missing glass shades and that was fine w/ me as I preferred them sans-shades. I got a whole big black trash bag full for $ 2.99 each. A couple of them had socket or wiring problems, but I had extras, so that was no big deal. I doubt if I will ever run up on such a super bargain in lighting fixtures again.
Occasionally I glance at eBay to see if I can find any source for a whole bunch of sconces for Phase II of this house for cheap. I often see cool antique sconces but it is usually just one, two or occasionally four. A couple days ago, I found that a guy in FL who runs an eBay selling drop-off shop has bought a whole bunch of discontinued fixtures that were pretty high-end originally.
He has about 100 of this pretty plain sconce and 90 of some solid brass exterior fixtures that I like. The exterior ones were originally $400 apiece !!
(In my opinion, lighting fixtures must be one of the most high mark-up items around. I still think there is a great biz opportunity in niche light fixtures since we have the web and anyone looking for any particular style can locate it quickly. )
Anyway---he emailed that if I made him an offer on a big lot of these lights, he could ship them on a pallet by freight instead of the usual UPS or FedEx. Not sure where I'd keep them in the meantime,.....
but I am thinking that today I'll call him and make him an offer on 45 sconces and 8 exterior fixtures. I don't want to use the glass 'fake alabaster' shades anyway, so he could ship them any ole way, without protection, ...if the glass breaks, I don't care. And I might grind off those leaf looking things.
Maybe I could wire up all the glass shades for cool party lites to run from tree to tree outdoors one day.
I am big into sconces so I don't have to have table lamps. IMHO table lamps are just a bother....cords running around, in the way, not enuf light, always wishing you had sockets where you dont have them, etc...
I like sconces everywhere. And dark rooms drive me crazy. If you want less light, use 25 watt bulbs. You don't need a ladder to change bulbs and that is especially great along staircases. I plan to even use sconces in the garage. None of that unflattering florescent light in places I'll be hanging out !
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