Vintage Fairy Lamps

Collecting Fairy Lamps

There are so many kinds and styles, from simple hobnail patterns to elaborately hand painted varieties. If you use these wonderful collectible items, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Heat can be an enemy to glass and many other materials. The flame from even a small votive or tea light candle is sometimes too hot in a lamp and it can cause the body to crack. In addition to the heat from the flame, melted wax can pool and hold enough heat to cause damage as well - not to mention the mess that will need to be cleaned!

• One way to help protect your Fairy Lamps and other candle cups is to use a votive holder. A votive holder is usually made of glass and is similar in size and shape to a shot glass. They are fairly common, can be inexpensive and are found in a variety of colors and patterns, so they will blend in with your collection. Sitting a votive candle or a tea light candle inside the votive holder before placing it inside a fairy lamp accomplishes a couple things. It keeps the melted wax from directly contacting the lamp and it acts as another layer of protection - insulation, if you will - between the lamp and the heat.

•  Another way to protect your collection is to use the battery operated tea lights that have recently become readily available. The light produced by battery operated tea lights is more yellow than the blue-white of a flame, resulting in a different look when lit. However, they don't produce the level of heat that a flame does and they don't produce melted wax! A nice bonus is the safety factor - especially if there are children and/or pets in the vicinity!

Although no lighting method is foolproof, I hope these ideas will result in less damage and more enjoyment of the beauty that Fairy Lamps have to offer.

About the Author

Anita is an active member of Got Vintage Shops. Please visit her store Cousins Antiques on Ruby Lane where she "is pleased to help you find the treasure that speaks to you!"