Handsome & refined polished brass turn-switched wall sconce with glass diffuser by the John C. Virden Company of Canada and Cleveland, OH, a long gone but well known maker of home lighting in the 20th century. You can see some of their vintage full-color catalogues on Archive dot net. There are a few catalogues you can flip through (1959 and 1963) and they are pretty cool. I looked for this exact version in the 1959 catalogue–there is a hanging version with diffuser–but this style was not included in that catalogue, which leads me to believe it predates the late 50s and the design was updated for that’59 catalogue. The styling is classic and elegant with a Parzinger moderne vibe. The glass diffuser throws light downwards while the open top floods the ceiling with light. I can see this as a chic bedside lamp, in a bathroom or hallway, or in a foyer as a light to flip on when you get home from work. It is clearly labeled on the back side. The metal in in great shape, no major scratches or wear; I did not go to town with polishing but it can clean up nicely with the right products (not Brasso) and the right cloths (not abrasive). I used Wenol and a chamois for the surface dirt and it looks great. The interior is fine with some (out of view) marks from use. I ill call this a 9.5 out of 10. You will rarely find a sconce like this, and I hope it finds a new home and a new life in your home renovation project. If you want to know more about Virden there is a lot of info online; you can see decorator-aimed pricing at First Dibs as well. They are rare, and they are increasingly commanding higher price points–and for good reason. I have lived in NYC for 30 years since the late 80s and have been in and around fashion and retail for decades. I started my career in New York City in the late 1980s dressing display windows at Henri Bendel & the elegant Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in the glory days of real story-telling windows. It was there that I learned the art of styling designer clothing & creating an aspirational & romantic mood with merchandise that helps build a relationship with the clothes we wear, and the emotion that people have with properly presented merchandise. I had access to the finest luxury designer clothing like Claude Montana, Pauline Trigere, Coco, Mr Beene and others, and learned about expert seam construction, the feel of good fabrics, the details that matter, and the high tech fabrics that are constantly innovating the marketplace. It was also a time (the 80s) when the shift in the social food chain began to change, a time when the Ladies Who Lunch began to be replaced by a new moneyed group who changed the way retail was conducted, and I always longed for the days when shopping was an event, a treat, and madame was served champagne in dressing rooms and the clothes were not thrown on rounder racks in discount departments. My mother also wore lots of Bonnie Cashin in the 1960s and 1970s so I was aware of the modern minimalists, and sought them out for her when I found them. Since Im shopping constantly, and love fancy estate sales and sample sales, I scour them regularly and with great skill; the result is an online shop that I consider a finely curated collection of vintage clothing, home accessories, & mid century odds and ends from high end homes in the New York City area. I love helping source stuff, and just KNOW that I have tons more stuff than is listed here, so if you are in film or television production just ask for specifics and I will probably have something for you, or be able to understand what you are looking for without wasting your time. I have been in the biz and know how it works. Chipper1963/ IG Chip Cordelli Check out my other listings. My shop is constantly evolving, and new items are added weekly. The item “Rare 1950s John C. Virden Perforated Brass & Glass Wall Sconce Hollywood Moderne” is in sale since Wednesday, April 11, 2018. This item is in the category “Antiques\Furniture\Other Antique Furniture”. The seller is “chipper63″ and is located in Brooklyn, New York. This item can be shipped to United States, all countries in Europe, all countries in continental Asia, Canada, Australia.
- Style: Mid-Century Modern
- Material: Metal
- Type: Electrified Wall Sconce
- Height: 5″
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Depth: 7-3/8″ Profile (extension from wall)
- Home Design: Interior Design
- Color: Antique Gold (Polished Brass)
- Diameter: 6-1/4″
- 1950s Design: Lighting Design
- Sub-Style: Hollywood Regency
- Cleveland Lighting: Vintage Lighting
- Maker: John C. Virden
