AJ Visor Floor Lamp- restore or not ?
Picked up an original one today for £40!

It has a few areas of paint loss to one edge of the shade

Would you leave it, or restore it ?

I believe the original finish is enameled..is this right ?


I'll do pics tomorrow..we got home after dark

Pics !
.

Yeah
I would leave it. I think it looks fine as is.

unfortunately the pictures ar...
unfortunately the pictures are missing but the thread below might be of some use, i remember it turned out really well

I had a chair stove enammeled in a satin black last month looks a very similar finish to the lamp

http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm//...

There is a difference
Robert,

I noticed in some replies that it was recommended that your try matching the paint. This is called a repair (and rather poor at that). Restoration is when an object is returned to its original state in a method that can be removed should a superior method become available in the future. Repair is inexpensive and reflects the cost and restoration is more costly with excellent results. The choice is yours.

Re; ark of decorative arts
You have misread my recommendation. I said first leave it. Also my suggestion was more on the lines of if you are going to do it, do it well/ here is a suggestion. You seem to be hewing closer to a narrow view of how to treat a mass produced object. My impression is that you take the job as if it were a prototype or one off museum piece. Your recommendation may not even be appropriate in that case. Current wisdom for those rarities is often to do nothing. But as for my reccomendation, there is no call for you to imply that a retouch (not repair) would be poorly done. There are many levels of repair/ restoration that can be appropriate for a mass produced object. In this less rarified world it is much a matter of personal taste. And on this board we have discussed this issue extensively, and a decent concensus is that you treat your good objects well, but you own them, not the other way around. Basically, it is a little insulting to me and potentially to the lamps owner to suggest that any work done to this lamp would be done poorly, and entirely unnecessary to be so strict for a mass produced object. We have many on this board who have a deep knowledge of design, and many who are also superlative and sensitive crafstpeople. I certainly am in the second catagory and am no slouch in the first. Many of us while being respectful of our objects, have moved beyond the narrow view, to focus on other more important life issues, giving the care of their objects a measured priority in their lives. And these are design nuts!

As an artist, designer,...
As an artist, designer, craftsman and restorer of everything from buildings to objects, and as one who has kept the company of many like myself over several decades, I can say with reasonable authority that is entirely appropriate to test solutions on a scrap of the same base material. Especially in the area of finishes. In this particular case you might be able obtain the original paint, but would probably want to adjust (by slightly dulling) it to match the aging of the original object. I wouldn't want to experiment on the lamp itself. This process is routine with professionals who work with finishes in this type of work. As to your post title "correct is correct", It doesn't leave room for actual discussion. Especially considering that the "correct" treatment of objects Has been an evolving subject over time and it is probably unreasonable to assume it is a perfected subject here in 2008.

The reversible theory is a...
The reversible theory is a current thought that is subject to revision just like any other restoration approach. There well may come a time when it is replaced by a new theory. And even if I subscribed to this method for the massed produced object (I certainly do for museum worthy items) a finish repair like I suggested is easily reversible. But to the point, "correctly" is an evolving idea. not so long ago, refinishing every old piece of furniture used to be the "correct" thing to do and was recognized by the best professionals as such. That it is not the case now suggests that "correct" is a mutable term.

As
we were patently talking about the repair or restoration of a 'pedestrian' object, then glassartist's input has been very welcome, thank you.

Wot
my little ol' pedestrian lamp?

gee *shucks* Thanks

;)


I've already decided to do exactly as you say.. it is perfect in left profile, I'm left handed..I'm happy

:|


















.