Finish Options
All of the 20th Century Lighting finishes are intended to make the fixtures look as if they are truly 50 – 100 years old, exhibiting the characteristics of aged pieces that have been well cared for over that period of time. As with the fabrication process, the finishing process for 20th Century Lighting fixtures is done piece by piece, one fixture at a time. Consequently, variations in the finishes will occur.
20th Century Lighting Fixtures are available in 10 different finishes. These 10 finishes are segmented into 5 price groups as follows. A fixture ordered with a Group I finish is going to be the least expensive and one ordered with a Group V finish will be the most expensive.
Group I Finishes
The Antique Brass finish exhibits the most variation of the ten finishes. When antiqued, the brass can be controlled to yield a range from a light gold color to a dark brown color. Unless ordered differently, this finish will be in the medium range – showing the dark brown in the recesses of the fixture with lighter ‘highlight’s on the raised portions with the overall body being a medium gold-brown color. For orders that specify the Antique Brass finish other than that in the medium range, a match sample should be submitted upon placing the order. (See Note 1)
Group II Finishes
The Worn Blackened Paint Finish is a hand applied, painted finish that simulates a finish one would visualize on an aged iron piece that has been painted, weathered over time, painted again, weathered again over more time, and painted yet again, over & over, over many years and then revived with a good cleaning, wire brushing and waxing to yield a soft luster patina. This finish is ideally suited for the fixture models that imitate old iron, but can also achieve remarkable results when used on pieces with a contemporary design. So don’t let the ‘old iron’ nature of this finish limit your creativity in matching finishes to fixtures.
The Distressed Painted Iron Finish is similar to the Worn Blackened Paint but differs in that a texture is applied to achieve more of a weathered, ‘chipping and flaking paint’ look. This finish is especially suitable for the iron pieces # 1039, 1067, 1078, 1094, 1124A&B, 1126, 1135 & 1144, since these pieces are ‘new’ wrought iron and look very much like freshly painted new wrought iron unless they are given some help in the aging process via this finish. This finish is prone to chip and flake over time, especially if used outdoors. However this only enhances the distressed nature of the finish.
Group III Finishes
This finish simulates the finish one would fine on an extremely weathered piece of bronze that has been revived by repeated applications of polishing with oil and wax. This is a very stable finish and does not change much over time.
Fixtures that are plated with this finish age the same as any piece of solid copper. With time the pinkish orange color oxidizes to produce a deep reddish brown hue similar to that on copper cookware.
Group IV Finishes
To achieve the Old Nickel Finish the fixtures are plated with a tough, durable nickel coating and then slightly aged. This finish will not tarnish over time like some of the other plated finishes. Try using this finish on some of the ‘Old World’ fixtures to achieve more of a contemporary look.
The Satin Nickel Finish receives the same tough, durable nickel coating as the Old Nickel, but rather than getting an aged treatment, the finish gets a satin polish that dulls down the shine to a low sheen. This finish is also good for giving a contemporary edge to the fixtures.
The Pewter finish is a hand applied finish that is very stable over time and does not quickly age or tarnish. This finish is excellent for fixtures that are going into a ‘Country French’ décor.
The Antique Silver finish closely resembles the finish you might remember on your Grandmother’s silver tea service. In producing this finish the fixtures are plated with a very durable, true silver plate that tarnishes just like your Grandmother’s silver tea service and also requires polishing once a year. See the discussion on Polishing andLacquering below.
Group V Finishes
Fixtures with this finish are plated with 24k gold. Because of the expense associated with this finish, the plated coating is rather thin making this finish rather delicate. No attempts should be made to polish this finish since, like gold plated bathroom fixtures, the finish will ultimately be rubbed right off. This finish tarnishes very slowly over many years and should not require polishing.
Cleaning & Polishing
No attempt should ever be made to clean a fixture with any chemicals, detergents or abrasives. Since any of the plated finishes will tarnish, they can simply be polished just as you would polish, say, a silver-plated candlestick. We use a product called Nevr-Dull manufactured by The George Basch Co., Inc. Freeport, New York, 11520 and available at most hardware stores. This product is a soft cotton like pad treated with a chemical that you use to rub off the tarnish. We like it because it doesn’t leave a white residue like most silver creams and the fixtures can be easily buffed up after removing the tarnish.
Lacquering
A thin protective lacquer coating can be applied to any of the 20th Century Lighting fixtures after the final finish has been applied. This will slow down any further ‘aging’ of the finish. The cost to lacquer a fixture is an additional cost as listed on the Price Sheet. In addition, please add a one-week lead-time for fixtures to be lacquered.
Please note that to clean fixtures that have been lacquered, only a soft damp cloth should be used to wipe away dust. Do not attempt to polish a fixture that has been lacquered, as this will destroy the lacquer coating. Also, please note that the lacquer coating will tend to ‘yellow’ over time and will scratch if rubbed with any abrasive.