One of the lamps from my Discovery Sale lot promised to yield the biggest resale return but also presented a serious condition problem. The tall, blue and white lamp was originally fitted with an over-the-top, baroque-style collar that subsequently fell off leaving a nasty ring of hard-set glue, above left. I knew I’d never be able to sell the lamp the way it was so I brought out the big guns knowing that the only thing likely to loosen the guck was butane.
Butane, or lighter fluid, is a noxious substance but it’s also a great product to have on hand for tough, industrial-strength cleaning jobs; it’s effective on rusted or pitted chrome and will take off most glue residues. I soaked the hard glue with the fluid, then chipped it off with a putty knife. I then used fine steel wool and more butane to gently remove the remaining residue
The lamp may not be to your taste but it’s an excellent specimen with a LOT of presence since it stands 30″ tall and measures 20″ across at the widest part of the custom silk shade (note the matching gimp trim). If you collect blue and white porcelain or think a bit of “old lady” is just the finishing touch your home needs, email me and let’s make a deal!
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