We stuck it in the garage and figured we'd do something about it sooner or later.
Then another lamp stopped working.
John knows how to fix a socket but it turns out these things were not normal. They were newfangled. They cost many bucks, on sale, warranty long gone.
I know what to do! Buy new lamps!
(or)
stop by Talbott Electric and find out if the lamps can be fixed.
Talbott is the place on Washington Blvd. with the vintage neon sign. (I'll post a photo of that sign one of these days.) They've been a Pasadena institution since 1924. Besides fixing lamps they offer complete electrical services. In the store, they also have some charming Craftsman-type fixtures. None of that Lamps Plus homogeneity.
The display cases inside the front door are my favorite part. They're loaded with strange antique fixtures, switches and oddments. Note "nurses room" and "nurses closet" on the typed sheet. Time travel.
Despite their oldfangled collection, Talbott fixed my newfangled lamps for less than 5% of what it would have cost to buy new ones.
24 comments:
Very cool! I'll have to put it on my Time Travel agenda...
You are resourceful!. My grandpa use to work in a lamp shop in North Hollywood, eons ago... If u had been a neighbor he would of fixed it for free... :-)
Look at you making some old batteries and sockets look like a million bucks. I want to go there next trip.
V
That's more or less my old neighborhood, but I can't picture that sign. How did I miss it? I have some old light fixtures that need fixin'. Great to know I can get help from this oldfangled gem.
I've known about this place forever but I didn't really know what they did in there. When our lamps stopped working we shopped a little and discovered you can spend a lot of money for some very ugly junk. So I googled Pasadena lamp repair and found Talbott, thank goodness.
Oh, thank you, Petrea! How did I miss this place?
Have been trekking to Modern Lighting in El Monte - hopeless as they are only interested in selling you something new. (The haughty woman there dismissed our Mission style dining room fixture, "oh, just get a new one".)
I remember visiting my grandparents' house a few years ago just after its new owner moved in (I sort of accosted her in the front yard and told her he and his sons had built it themselves in the early 1920s). It still has the double button light switches. One for on, one for off. Happy memories of childhood days driving Grandpa mildly nuts by running up and down the wooden stairs!
But I digress. Onward to Talbott's...
Betsy
Glad to help, Betsy!
There's also a very nice lighting store on Colorado Blvd. that specializes in custom made Craftsman and antique-looking fixtures. I'll look that guy up.
I think it's this place:
http://www.michellesantiques.net/lighting.html
Only his name's not Michelle. It's Jason or Justin or something. He fixes antique fixtures and makes new ones that look like the old ones.
I've never noticed this place - is it at Washington/Lake? Love the window contents - look at all the rooms in that house, it's like Downton Abbey. Zobelein's Eastside looks like a can of beer. What is it?
Bellis, 1800 block of Washington is just east of Allen Avenue.
Betsy
Should have added that the odd number puts it on the north side of Washington - somewhere east of Von's parking lot?
Anonymous has it right, Talbott is about a block east of Allen on the north side of the street. I can see I'll have to post the sign. Surely you've seen the sign, it's iconic. I'll post it tomorrow.
Talbots: the subject of Trash Tuesday #76. Actually I'm now into Talbott's for three lamps.
I have two old (as in vintage or antique) lamps that require special lightbulbs...I get them at Pasadena Electric on Walnut (just drove 5 hours to get a couple...that and see the grandkids!!!)..I've also had lamps re-worked, bought shades, and bought the most gorgeous hanging lights for our remodeled kitchen in Glendale...
I think if a lighting store is worth it's salt in Pasadena, it will cater to the vintage and antique market!!! Good to know about Talbots!!! It reminds me of Crown City Hardware!!!
Ooops...that would be Pasadena Lighting...
Oh yes, love Crown City. And Pasadena Lighting sounds great. There's no need to go to a chain store around here.
Here's PA's post:
http://pasadenaadjacent.com/2011/07/12/tagthrift-tuesday-76-where-cheap-remains-the-esthetic/
Her picture of the sign is better than the one I've got. I'm re-thinking that promise to post it.
Haven't been IN Talbott's in years, but had them out to do some work on my Mom's house in NoHo just yesterday. I wouldn't call anyone else.
Talbott's costs a little more than other electricians, but their work is excellent, never needs to be redone, and they are scrupulously honest. And it is still a family business--Kirk, I believe, is the third generation.
Wow, time travel indeed, this scene could've come straight from the turn of the century (last century, that is), love it!
Thanks for the link to PA's blog. I can't remember ever seeing it before. Then I look at the comments and see that mine's the first one, asking where Talbott's is (and PA tells me).
Talbot's is great, and Kirk Talbot is the nicest guy on the planet. For years he did all the electrical work that made Pasadena Heritage's annual Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge (which is coming around again next month, btw) hum, which is how I learned about Talbot's. His firm's still keeping my 1957 electrical breakers in fine fettle. One of the things I love about his shop is that they'll tell you when it just ain't worth fixing something.
This is all good to hear. I decided I like the picture so I'll post the sign tomorrow as promised, but do take a look at PA's link.
Very cool photo, and awesome to have a local lamp fix-it shop. Bellis I wondered about the Zobelein's can too and looked it up. Here's info about Eastside Beer
Check it out for an interesting history of Zobelein brewing in CA that includes Jean Harlow and some serious money made at the end of prohibition.
Bellis, Karin and I walked past that brewery in our Lincoln Heights tour with Manny Rodriguez, Katie. It's now an arts complex with lofts for rent. I didn't post a picture of it. The closest I came was a creative horse statue just outside.
http://pasadenadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/11/lincoln-heights-caballeros.html
I love thes old places. How fun.
Post a Comment