Let me start here with a couple of qualifiers. First, I know this isn't a great picture. It's dark and not close up enough to let you see the glaze on the lamp, but I swiped it from the auction house website and you'll have to trust that it does give you an idea of what I'm looking at. Second, I smoke. I've quit before and I know that I need to make it stick. More to the point however is the fact that I do not smoke inside. Ever. Ok, on with the post. This is the Haeger lamp from last night's auction. Nice shape, with a greenish black glaze that fades to a medium blue up at the top. The finial, original to the lamp, is for some reason an ear of corn, in the same glaze. I came to the workshop tonight to unload my vehicle, and since I was here decided I'd clean up the stuff I bought.
The lamp was dusty, so I grabbed a paper towel and some Fantastik, sprayed, and wiped. And nearly hurled. Under the dust is a sticky brown layer of what I'm thinking has to be nicotine. So more spraying. And wiping. And then more spraying, and letting it sit. And changing the paper toweling under the lamp that is blotting up the now-brown Fantastik as it runs down the lamp. (and while that's going on, tossing that God-awful shade in the dumpster!)
The lamp is actually a marble-y emerald green, fading to a blueprint blue at the top. And the finial is even lighter. I bought mostly based on shape, and now I'm loving the color. And I haven't even got it totally clean yet. I'm picturing a hard barrel shade, wider than it is deep, lacquered in a pale blue. Maybe a couple tiny green pinstripes around the top and bottom.
But back to my PSA: Smokers, unless you can clean house with the obsessive/compulsive best of them, and plan to often, take it outside. Your stuff and I thank you.
4 comments:
Similar experience: I bought a marble and gilt bronze table lamp a number of years ago from an Antiques dealer that when I went to clean it I couldn't believe my eyes at the disgusting brown layer of nicotine clinging to it. Took several hours to clean it (mild solution of diluted ammonia works wonders). I had assumed the gilding on it was matt finish, and was amazed to see its gleaming gold surface when cleaned. I'm a former smoker, quit 2 1/2 half years ago after years of failed attempts. Will never go back.
David, you know you'll quit smoking by elimating all the places you used to smoke.
I smoked for years and have now been smoke-free for 18 or so.
Of course, you could get pregnant. That really helps.
:-)
That story is more effective than any Surgeon General's warning on a box of cigarettes.
Really good point. However, my neighbor 'takes it outside' and I end up with cigarette smoke in my house. it comes in through the windows. Can't open a window or the patio doors some days.
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