How can I make a lamp whole again?

Deb Ambrosino
by Deb Ambrosino

Fell in love with this at a barn sale. But, it's missing one black panel. What can I replace it with?

  5 answers
  • Barb Barb on Sep 04, 2018

    I would think a piece of plastic would be easiest to replace this. Not sure how it's all attached but I'm sure you can figure that out by looking at the other one. You can paint with glass paint unless you are able to find some "smoked glass" somewhere.

    You could even try at a glass store - they may be able to help.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Sep 04, 2018

    You probably need to replace both so that it matches. It would drive me nuts if I couldn’t get it to match. 😜

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Sep 04, 2018

    Hello Deb,


    The best idea is to find someone with a 3-D printer that could replicate the panel for you. To me it looks like pebbles and another ideas to make a mold to make a exact copy.


    Or if you’re really adventurous and crafty try to wet and stretch/ press some high density watercolor paper soften it and try to put it over by stony surface to make your own followed by sealing stiffening textured surface with something like Modgepodge.


    Last option would be to replace all the little panels with the uniform substitute replacement such as wicker, a textured felt or leather.


    Here’s a link about molding

    I hope this helps— its an interesting question, I personally love restoring things like this.

    http://composimoldstore.com/how-to-make-molds/

  • Ron Sadaka Ron Sadaka on Sep 04, 2018

    Here's what I would do. Go to your nearest high school where they still teach ceramics class. Modern ceramics shops can cast your old piece on a latex mold. Then, ask the teacher if they can reproduce your piece. Maybe offer a prize to the class for most accurate reproduction. If no results there- try one of your local ceramics shops.

  • You can get silicone mold making kits, make a mold of what you have then make a duplicate.