2010.06.18 Three Favorites

Here’s a picture of what are currently my three favorite lamps. I’ll detail them from left to right.

1. The Aladdin was sold to me by our very own Bohdan on eBay, May 15, 2010. It came with a red/clear globe but I chose to use a white/blue globe for the picture. As best as he knows the lamp was made in 1976. The white/blue globe was purchased on eBay with the Carlisle base pictured on the far right.
2. The Century pictured here is probably my favorite lamp of all. It was manufactured in September 1981. It has been featured before but it is simply one of my all time favorites. It’s brutally clear. I bought it from Galaxy_9 on January 11, 2010 in an eBay auction. Thanks for the lamp buddy!
3. The Carlisle base pictured here goes with the white/blue globe pictured on top of the Aladdin. It was manufactured in September 1976. I bought it on eBay from member ‘willowtree1990’ on June 15, 2010. I fell in love with this Carlisle when I first laid eyes on it. You might think the globe pictured with the Carlisle base has appeared in a couple of pics I have posted before. Not the case. The one I bought earlier was manufactured in February 1976. The globe pictured here is exactly the same color, mint/pale blue. It was manufactured in June 1974 and came with a Planter base I purchased from eBay member ‘sharkgal’. This globe is as clear as tap water and the flow is fantastic over a wide range of dimmer settings.

If your like the way the bases shine on these lamps I’ll tell you what I use. I am currently using Blue Magic metal polish cream. It can be purchased at some auto parts stores and I also think it can be found at Wal-Mart in some towns. I have also used Maas metal polish. I bought that at a Walgreen’s pharmacy. Both polishes work great, give a lasting shine with good protection from oxidation and won’t harm the original gold tone finish. There are two downsides to the Blue Magic. 1. The ingredients separate over time and have to be occasionally remixed with a Popsicle stick to regain the creamy texture. 2. It also has a rather strong chemical smell justifying its use in a well ventilated area.

I treat the electric cord and on/off switch with two products. I first use Meguiar’s #39 professional heavy duty vinyl cleaner. It’s removes embedded grime and dead rubber. I follow up with Megiuar’s #40 professional vinyl & rubber cleaner/conditioner. Finally, I wipe it dry with a paper towel. Don’t forget to run the cleaning rag in the grooves of the zip cord. A lot of trash accumulates in that area. The rubber appears to be a bit more supple after treating it in this way. I think that over the years it will prevent your having to replace the cord.

The globe glass is cleaned with a product called Bio-Clean. It’s a blue paste with a bit of abrasive in it. It cleans off most anything on the glass, giving it a nice sparkling finish. It’s typically used to clean scummy shower glass. The other thing it does is remove the sharp edges of any scratches that may be in the glass from abuse. That helps to hide the scratches. The glass is very smooth and clean when you are done. It rinses clean with tap water and doesn’t have an offensive smell. After rinsing and drying the globe I use a good glass cleaner with a microfiber towel to pick up anything the water rinse may have left behind. Make sure not to get the Bio-Clean on a screw top since it can remove the gold finish. I simply use a rag with mild soap and water to clean screw top caps. Try your best to avoid getting water under the cap since there is most likely a round self-adhesive sticker in there that has the date and model info for your globe/base. Also, it’s not a good idea to remove the cap. That would only serve to introduce evaporation of the liquid, and ruin its vintage authenticity. Contact crlaurence at 800-421-6144 to find the product locally if you wish to use it.

Hope you enjoyed the picture and info!!