Wall sconces and mica shades from Weehawken schools repainted

The wall sconces being restored feature mica shades with painted patterns. To restore the shades, the original paint was removed utilizing plastic bead blasting at a very low pressure.

The original pattern was traced so that it could be reapplied by a skilled painter.  During this process, it was determined that the pattern contained some flaws.  The letters, Theodore Roosevelt's initials, were originally painted in a less-than-perfect attempt at a Gothic typeface. In addition, the emblem was not symmetrical and needed to be slightly modified.

Once the original paint was removed, the shades given two coats of incralac, and the pattern was transferred to the mica.  

Before applying the paint to the pattern on the shades, different colors were tested so that the reapplied paint would be as close to the originals as possible. Some of these colors are pictured in the scan below. While the scan is close, the colors are not quite true. The darker gold appears more metallic in the original than what the scan shows. Also, the blue has a slightly greener cast on the original than the scan.

While the mica shades are being repainted, work on the rest of the sconces continues. Each fixture has been completely stripped of its original coating of paint and will soon be repainted and rewired in accordance with UL standards.

For more information about this project, please view our previous updates.

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About Grand Light:

Grand Light has restored, replicated and manufactured custom lighting fixtures at every scale, including various projects at Yale University,  the Lincoln Square Theater in Decatur, IL., The Otesaga Resort and Hotel in Cooperstown, NY., The Shubert Theater in New Haven, CT., and other prestigious projects nation wide.

Located at 580 Grand Avenue, New Haven, Conn., Grand Light has been serving the interior and exterior lighting needs of homeowners and professionals since 1929.