Hybrid Restoration

A borosilicate glass containment barrier was custom fabricated and installed to comply with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standard UL153 requirements for halogen lamps.

Many people believe that the only proper way to perform a restoration is to maintain strict historical accuracy.

At Lumenelle, we believe that restoring a lamp or fixture to the way it was originally designed and built may not always be the best solution. Why?

		Light Pattern
		The original candelabra socket and bulb combination were relatively large, in proportion to the overall size of the lamp. Parts of the bulb and socket were always visible except at a very narrow viewing angle to the front. Replacing the original socket and bulb with exact replacements would have placed the projected halo (center of the filament) near the top of the shade. Ideally, the halo should be centered behind the figure’s head. To accomplish this, a much smaller socket and bulb would be required.

		The low profile of the halogen socket and compact size of halogen lamp optimizes the light pattern for maximum drama.

		Improved Energy Efficiency
		Halogen lamps are usually not associated with energy efficiency. In this particular case, because of its intense white light, a 5 watt halogen lamp provided the same apparent brightness than the original 25 watt incandescent lamp.

		Improved Safety
		The insulation on the original wiring had become brittle and flake off, exposing bare wire in places. Bare wire was found to be making contact to the inside of the metal body, thus creating a potential electrocution hazard.

		Today's insulating materials are far superior to those found in vintage lighting.

		And...
		The designers of these beautiful lamps and fixtures used lighting technology that was current at the time. They did not have the many choices that designers today have. If they did, it is quite probable that this lamp might have been originally designed as shown here.

You don't have to replace your vintage lighting with the nondescript lighting products commonly sold today. Upgrade them for new life.

We believe that the most economical way to perform these restorations is to perform them on site. Lumenelle can create a conversion kit for you that in many cases will take less time to install than it would take to properly package the lamp or fixture for safe shipment.