lightrestoration.com

New Haven Courthouse - Exterior Bronze Light Fixture Restoration

2013-03-22T12:30:00Z

New Haven, CT - Grand Light has been awarded the contract for the historic lighting fixture restoration for two large cast bronze lighting fixtures located on the front entry of the New Haven County Courthouse.
]]> These massive cast bronze fixtures are 65" tall and 30" wide and are estimated to me 200lbs each when fully assembled. They have seen years of the elements and require a complete restoration. They originally had a black patina finish and over the years the protective coating has failed and a green patina started developing on most of the fixtures surface. At some point, the fixtures were painted black to hide the green patina and preserve the look they had originally once had. Grand Light has been given the task to strip all of the paints and coatings from all of the metal elements and to restore the fixtures to their original luster.

Shown is a street view of the fixtures that are mounted 40' high on the building at the front entry.

White House Visitor Center Historic Wall Sconce Replication Completed

2013-03-21T12:30:00Z

New Haven, CT - Grand Light has completed the replication of the wall sconces for the White House Visitor Center, in Washington, D.C. A total of eight historic replications were made using cast brass and hand forged iron. An original fixture was shipped to Grand Light were it was disassembled so that molds could be made to replicate cast bronze components, and the iron components served as a template to our craftsman for replication on the hand forged pieces. The cast brass components will be antiqued to appear to look aged as the originals are, and the hand-forged steel will received a wax coating to enhance to rustic look of the hammered finish.

Prior to replication a drawing is made to serve as a template for replicated components. It is them submitted to our client for approval prior to replication.

Shown is the original sconce from different views, giving a perspective of the detail that was needed to be achieved for our replicated components.

Shown are the cast bronze leaves that wrap the bottom of the hand forged elements.

Shown are the replicated cast bronze back plates.

Shown are the cast-bronze filigrees that wrap the historic sconce light socket.

Completed replicated assemblies that are ready for wiring and antiquing to give them an aged look.

A side by side comparison of the original sconce and the replicated sconce.

]]>

Malaga Cove - Type DA Fixtures Complete and ready for Powder Coat

2013-03-19T12:30:00Z

New Haven, CT - The final lighting fixture, fixture DA, as part of Malaga Cove's Library expansion has been fabricated and is entering it final stages of completion. All components were fabricated using aluminum which was spun on our custom made tools, and a custom opal stepped glass diffuser was made to fit on the bottom of the fixture. Every component of the fixture was custom fabricated to be historically accurate to the components as we were able to make them out using the submitted clients photograph.
]]>

Shown above is the drawing that was recreated off of the photograph above that was submitted to Grand Light by the client for recreation.

Shown are all of the completed components assembled to serve as a mock-up to be presented to the client.

A custom stepped opal glass shade was designed and manufactured specifically for this fixture.

Shown is the custom glass that sits in the bottom ring of the fixture that will be detached so that the fixture can be serviced.

The fixture is made using several spun aluminum components. Each component fits precisely together giving the fixture a profile of one solid unit.

Yale - Sterling Chemistry Light Fixture Replication and Globe Replacement

2013-02-20T18:16:38Z

New Haven, CT - Sterling Chemistry Building, a part of Yale University in New Haven's Science Hill for almost 6 decades, has tasked Grand Light to replicate the wrought iron and cast bronze fixture and create custom cut glass globes to replace existing plastic globes.

]]> Grand Light replicated thirteen fixtures in total which matched the original fixtures. The fixtures were made up of cast bronze and iron components. The body of the was hand forged using iron, and was received a black patina finish. The twisted bands and chain loop from the body of the frame were made in cast bronze. The fixtures were made to match several existing fixtures in the building which had been removed at some point and were lost. In addition to the replicated fixtures, all of the existing fixtures had acrylic globes. It had been decided as a part of this project to change all of the existing acrylic globes to glass, in addition to the replicated fixtures. The globes were custom made to accommodate a 7" fitter which is not an industry standard and then a 4" hole was custom cut in the bottom to allow the lamps to be changed without removing the globe from the fixture.

Prior to reproduction the fixture was drawn using the original as a template.

Each component is hand forged to match the existing components of the original.

Shown is the custom 7" diameter fitter opal globe with the custom cut 4" hole.

Historic Outdoor Lighting Restoration at Edgerton Park

2012-11-29T16:23:40Z

New Haven, CT - Grand Light has been given the task for restoring the outdoor lighting fixtures of Edgerton Park in New Haven. They are the original fixtures to the historic park and have significant finish failure, missing glass, and missing are several components. There are a total of 5 Historic lanterns that will be restored by Grand Light and two that will be replicated to match originals that are currently missing. Phase one of the restoration begins with two of the seven lanterns which are located on the front entry columns and on on the inside of the entry gate column.

]]> Eli Whitney was the original owner of the 22 acres making up Edgerton Park. It was later passed down to his niece, Caroline Whitney who lived on the estate in a grand Victorian house called "Ivy Nook." In 1906, the property was sold to Frederick F. Brewster, a New Haven industrialist, who tore down "Ivy Nook" and replaced it with a Tudor style mansion named "Edgerton," for its location on the edge of town. This property was given to the City of New Haven in 1965. The original wall, greenhouses, carriage house, gatehouse, and bridge are still standing. Edgerton Park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Shown is a lantern that is located on the inside of the front entry gate. This lantern will be cleaned, the missing glass will be replicated as well as the missing door that allows lamp maintenance. This finish will be cleaned and conserved.

Shown are the lanterns that are located at the front entry of the park. These lanterns will be stripped down the original metal and will be refinished. New mounting hardware and glass will be fabricated for these fixtures.

Custom Acrylic Chandeliers Created for Resturant

2012-11-29T16:00:46Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand Light has been contracted to create 5 custom made acrylic chandeliers. The design was submitted by the architect and was fabricated by Grand Light based off of the overall concept.

Upon Approval, the one of a kind chandeliers went into fabrication.

Each rod is custom bent from a solid clear rod of acrylic.

]]>

Columbia University Finial Casting Complete

2012-11-29T14:39:31Z

New Haven, CT - Grand Light was contracted by Columbia University to reproduce lighting components on existing lamp posts throughout the Morningside campus. Grand Light has casted bronze finial components for 15 of the existing lamp posts, which are replicated from an existing that was removed from one of the posts. Each finial is made up of 5 components: finial base, finial bottom, finial top, finial ball, and an eagle. A separate mold had been made for the casting of each part.

]]>

The components are then chemically treated to match the natural aging process of many of the existing components on campus.

Components after being chemically treated.

A close-up of the top eagle after it is chemically treated.

Components are then individually wrapped, crated, and delivered to the university by Grand Light Personnel.

Custom Outdoor Column Mounted Fixtures Complete

2012-10-18T15:59:08Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand Light has recreated two column mounted outdoor lighting fixtures for an upscale residence in Pittsburgh, PA.

]]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

The replicated components for these outdoor fixtures were fabricated using steel which was brass riveted together, an aluminum top spinning, and original cast bases served as the foundation for the new components.

Shown are the original components that were to be used to reconstruct these historic lanterns.

Three weep holes were put in place at the inside of the bases. Also they where wired to use one 100 watt A lamp porcelain light socket. Historic Iron free antique glass was used, which in turn was frosted for a more mystic look.The top spinning is removable in order to allow to replace glass should it become damaged, and a hinged door with a latch was fabricated to easy access to the lamp.

Massachuetts State House Cylinder Fabrication

2012-10-18T15:23:29Z

New Haven, CT - The Massachusetts State House is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Built in 1798, the building houses the Massachusetts General Court and the offices of the Governor of Massachusetts. Located on top of Beacon Hill in Boston, adjacent to the Boston Common on Beacon Street, the building is situated on 6.7 acres of land. It was built on land once owned by John Hancock Massachusetts first elected governor, and was designed by Charles Bullfinch, the leading architect of the day. Grand Light has been awarded the contract of the fabrication of 12 custom fixtures that will be retrofitted to existing cylinders in the Great Hall of Flags at the State House.

]]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Below is a picture of the original fixture as it stands in the Great Hall of Flags at the Massachusetts State House in Boston.

The challenge has been presented to the Grand Light team to fabricate seamless cylindrical tube that will be retrofitted to the existing fixture. The cylinder has been designed by rolling a 1/16" thick aluminum sheet and weld it together to make a cylinder. The weld would then be cleaned and we will add a 1" wide ring on the bottom. The cylinder will be 39 inches tall and will be 12" wide. The cylinder will then be powder coated using a custom color that will be specified by the client.

These cylinders will then be attached to the existing brackets located at the top of the fixture using screws that will be powder coated to match the rolled cylinder.

Currently a mock-up is being fabricated and will be presented to the client for approval prior to production.

Shown is the rolled aluminum, welded, and cleaned. Much preparation is done to the weld in order to achieve a seamless look.

An interior view of the mock-up.

Shown is the completed mock-up with the custom color selected by the client. The cylinder is absolutely flawless.

Restoration of "The Home of Theodore Roosevelt", Sagamore Hill

2012-10-10T20:35:57Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand Light has recently begun the restoration of the historic lighting fixtures of Sagamore Hill. Sagamore Hill was the home of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, from 1885 until his death in 1919. During Roosevelt's time in office, his "Summer White House" was the focus of international attention. The most significant events took place at Sagamore Hill during the seven summers it served as Theodore Roosevelt's Summer White House, from 1902 until 1908. During that time, Roosevelt used his home to host luminaries from around the country and around the world.

Shown are the fixtures prior to being packaged by Grand Light and transported to our New Haven Facility.

Each fixture is individually wrapped and boxed to assure safe arrival.

To view more pictures and information regarding this project, please visit http://www.lightrestoration.com/restoration/sagamore_hill.html

]]>

White House Visitors Center Lighting Replication Begins

2012-08-16T18:24:26Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand Light has been selected to replicate the wall sconces in the White House Visitors Center in Washington DC. The sconces are being replicated for a current renovation to the visitors center. A total of eight of these fixtures will be made using cast brass and hand forged iron. The cast brass components will be antiqued to match the existing fixtures, and a black patina will be applied to the iron work which makes up the base of the fixture. Grand Light artisans will use the lost wax method for casting the original components, and the iron components will be all hand forged. A total of eight wall sconces will be fabricated.

Pictured is the front view of the original wall sconce that has been removed from the White House Visitors Center in Washington, DC and sent to Grand Light where it will be completed dismantled so molds can be made to cast components, as well as to replicate the European style flairs in the iron work.

Shown is the back of this wall sconce. Grand Light artisans will replicate the European style flairs by hand shown in the ironwork located below the lamp sockets.

A side view showing the detail on the brass filigrees.

Detail on the backplate of the wall sconce.

]]>

Custom Made Tree Chandelier for Florida Customer

2012-08-07T19:21:58Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand light was contacted by a client in Florida whom had asked if we could reproduce a chandelier that had been seen in a building for their residence. A photograph had been submitted and a reproduction of the chandelier had been designed specific to our clients needs.
]]>

Pictured is the photograph that has been submitted for Grand Light review.

A custom chandelier was designed using the original photograph as inspiration.

Fabrication begins on the custom tree chandelier.

The fabrication on the chandelier is complete and is ready to receive a hand applied patina finish.

A close-up of the hand applied patina finish.

The custom chandelier is photographed prior to being shipped to Florida were it will be enjoyed by our client for many years to come.

Shown is the custom chandelier installed in its new home.

Custom Outdoor Column Mounted Fixtures in Progress

2012-08-07T17:19:16Z

New Haven, Ct - Grand Light has been contracted to recreate a 2 column mounted outdoor lighting fixtures for an upscale residence in Pittsburgh, PA. As a part of this project, original components were to be utilized in the fabrication of the new fixtures.
]]>

Pictured are the components as they had arrived to our New Haven facility.

The fixtures were recreated in the utilizing the same technique by which the original one was created. Steel was rolled and then riveted together. A hinged door is added to the steel case to access the lamp.

Shown is the completed raw fabrication of this column mounted fixture. The top spinning down to the original base are all of the newly fabricated components. The fixture will be prepped for painting, will receive 8 clear/ frosted glass panels and will be wired to accommodate a 100 watt A lamp.

Custom Fixtures For Malaga Cove Library In Progress

2012-08-07T15:43:44Z

New Haven, CT - The Type DB, DD, and DE custom lighting fixtures and fixture replications for the Magala Cove library in Palos Verdes are in various stages of completion. ]]> As part of the Master Plan, the design team, M2A Milofsky Michali & Cox Architects, researched the existing drawings by Myron hunt located in the Main Library Archives for any details of the original fixtures and their location since almost all of the historic lighting had been removed and replaced by fluorescent lighting during past remodeling. Also in this archive were several interior photos from the local Palos Verdes magazine that were good sources of information for the missing main reading room lights and the adjacent former children's room light fixtures. A site survey did determine that two types of the fixtures (the wall sconce and ceiling fixture) were original although the glass shades have been replaced over times. The other two fixtures were developed form enlarging the photos, by scaling these images, and recreating the form and detail. From these original fixtures and photos, scaled drawings were then developed indicating all the character defining details necessary to recreate these fixtures.

Shown is the tooling on the lathe that is used to create the rings for the type DB fixtures.

Completed components for the Type DB Pendant Fixtures.

Complete Type DC fixture.

Type DD wall sconce replication.

Complete Type DB 1 Ceiling Mounted Fixture.

Completed Components for the Type DB Pendant Fixtures.

Shown are the Type DB, DD, and DC original fixtures and the replications.

Philips Exeter Academy Restoration Complete

2012-06-26T20:31:45Z

New Haven, CT - Grand Light has completed the fixture refurbishing, cleaning and modifications of the Philips Exeter Academy fixtures. These gorgeous pieces of historical art were repaired of all mechanical defects. All surfaces were chemically cleaned, and all scratches, gouges and cosmetic blemishes on the exterior of all fixtures were repaired. The glass was all uniformly matched and replaced along with new wires, sockets, socket supports with UL listed components.

You can see from the images below the Philips Exeter Academy fixtures will continue to add character and decor for years into the future.
]]>

S4 - Exterior Terrace Wall Lantern

P3 - Interior Main Lobby Vestibule

C1 - Elting Room

P4 - Exterior Main Lobby Vestibule

S5 - Rear Entries Wall Lantern