The Perfect Table Lamps for Your Nautical Home

A matching pair of nautical anchor lanterns converted to table lamps.

Selecting the right furnishings for your nautical room is certainly an important part of creating a successful interior. One product that tends to go unnoticed as a valuable and functioning part of creating the perfect nautical room is the appropriate selection of lamps and lighting. The majority of rooms that we have seen published in home decorating magazines like Coastal Living sometimes feature rooms with a nautical theme but these rooms tend to be lighted with plain, uninteresting lighting selections.  Others have settled for the cheap Chinese made knockoffs like those sold by stores like the Pottery Barn. Granted, the selection of quality nautical lighting is slim at best, but they are available if you know where to look. But before we get into the components of this blog, let's discuss exactly what the word nautical is, because there seems to be a big misunderstanding of what the word means. Nautical, is not a color or a striped fabric, or seashells from the seashore. Nor is it pretty fish or other marine animals. Nautical as defined by Webster's dictionary is relating to, or associated with seaman, navigation, or ships. So although the seashells from the seashore may be a great beach home decor item, they are simply not nautical.

 Appropriate nautical lamps are made from items such as old brass and metal boat or ship lanterns, wood and metal blocks, deadeyes, small anchors and other retired boat and ship parts all work well for creating great lamp conversions. So are maritime instruments such as sextants, octants, compasses and other instruments are other top choices for creating the perfect nautical environment. In other words, items that were used aboard a ship, for navigation or by seaman. Here are some selections of what would be considered a classic, traditional nautical table lamp.

Vintage brass anchor lantern converted into a nautical table lamp.

Re-purposing is the word that we use to describe this practice. Taking vintage and antique nautical items and  redesigning them for a new practical and/or decorative use is what you should look for. Pictured above is a vintage brass anchor lantern designed for use aboard small vessels. Here we took out the original kerosene burner and added an interior electrical light and a room light above. The two lights can be toggled between the upper and lower lights with the upper finger switch. The lamp is completed with a solid wood base and a nautical navigational chart lamp shade. This is one of the best nautical lamps that you can buy because it gives both room light as well as ambient light. A dimmer switch can easily be added so you can create the desirable mood when needed. We also recommend that you choose LED light bulbs for the interior lamp light since they do not give off heat. Also make sure that when selecting a bulb, that it is compatible with a dimmer switch.

A classic antique wood block makes an outstanding nautical lamp.

Wood blocks comes in all shapes and sizes and we have made these into lamps using everything from small single-wheeled blocks to large, multi-wheeled blocks from ships. Shown above is a classic design block lamp with 1 inch thick hemp rope covering the metal wheels. This lamp was originally made by Abercrombie & Fitch when they were a sporting goods store and is now shown with a basic burlap lamp shade. Retains a pleasing old varnished finish and was mounted on to an oval oak base.

This nautical lamp was made using an antique lignum-vitae wood deadeye.

Other nautical hardware from ships are deadeyes. Though not as common as blocks, these make exceptional nautical table lamps. Shown here mounted on to a round wood base and with a pleated silk shade.

A vintage ship--in-a-bottle re-purposed into a table lamp.

Sometimes our nautical table lamps are made from vintage and antique hand-crafted items like this sailor-made ship-in-a-bottle diorama. The upper lighting is used as both an interior room light and to spotlight the artwork. This becomes a great conversation piece as well! Shown with a barrel shaped fabric lamp shade.

Old bronzed metal lighthouse converted into a table lamp. Perfect look for your coastal home.

Though not used aboard a ship, the lighthouse is definitely the sailor's best friend with a beam of light that shows them the way home and to keep them away from dangerous shoals that have caused a many a shipwreck. We made this from a vintage bronzed metal lighthouse base and added the light fixture above. Still works great as a perfect look for your nautical room.

Hanging antique metal nautical anchor lantern.

Shown above is an early 20th century anchor lantern with an interior electrical light. A customer purchased it and we converted it into a table lamp. You simply cannot reproduce the quality and look of an authentic, used nautical light!

Hand-tied marlinspike rope table lamp shown with a handmade navigational chart lampshade.

Our large-size Marlinspike Lamp is hand-made using the traditional turk's head knot at the base of the lamp pedestal and french whipping around the body of the lamp; Made here in Olde Towne Portsmouth by a member of the Skipjack Nautical Wares Studio. Solid walnut base. 

Nautical instruments are another great choice to use to make a nautical table lamp. Pictured above is an antique ebony wood and brass sextant with it's storage box used as the wood base. This way the instrument makes a great table lamp and display but without damaging the rare instrument. 

Pair of nautical lanterns like these early 20th century port and starboard lights make great table lamps, especially where you need two identical lamps like on each end of a sofa. These again can be easily converted with an interior light source and with a room light above. We recommend that when using valuable vintage and antique lanterns that you go about it by doing the less damage to it as possible. Though most of the lanterns that we use are beyond their days of sea use, the value still lies in their authenticity and condition. Always a consideration when you go about drilling a bunch of holes in it.

Last but by no means least in completion your nautical lamp is the right selection of a lamp shade and finial. Shown below are Skipjack's navigational chart lamp shades. These are available in three stock sizes and also as a custom size. Skipjack also offers as part of it's custom program your choice of a NOAA navigational chart so you can select a body of water close to home or a favorite shoreline destination.

Nautical chart lamp shades is a wonderful way to top off your nautical table lamp.

The final touch is selecting a handsome nautical themed lamp finial. From polished brass to hand-tied monkeys fist knotted finials, they add the right finishing look to creating the perfect nautical lamp. Shown below is our fowled anchor finial. Hey, sometimes a nautical finial alone can be enough!

These are some great examples of classic style nautical table lamps, and since most of these are made from old lighting and other nautical wares, most are one-of-kind and once sold are no longer available. Interested in dressing up your nautical room with a re-purposed authentic nautical table lamp? Here's a link to our NEW! JUST IN so you can see our selection when they become available and other great nautical items to dress up you home too! Here's a link to Skipjack Nautical Wares home page so you can peruse through our full line of nautical items.

Spanish American War Collectibles- USS Maine & USS Olympia Frosted Glass Windows

Spanish American War commemorative frosted glass window depicting the USS MAINE

A while ago an associate of ours brought in to our gallery this antique architectural window that they had bought for a room of a previous residence that they owned. The etched artwork of this famous U.S. Navy battleship is impressive and the window frame is a wonderful architectural piece from the turn of the last century. Though unquestionably a period window made around the time of the  Spanish American War, there's no provenance included concerning the maker or it's original use.

So here's a question for you American naval history buffs. What is the history of this etched glass window depicting the USS MAINE? Was it possibly a window panel from the ship itself? This is what we recently discovered about this rare Spanish American War item.

I was recently watching a re-run of the PBS program "The History Detectives," an episode that I had not seen before that certainly piqued my curiosity. The case was from season 6, episode 7 that originally aired on PBS August 11, 2008 titled "USS OLYMPIA GLASS."  The History Detective Wes Cowan had traveled to to a farmhouse in Fremont, Nebraska to examine an elaborately designed etched glass window of the USS OLYMPIA. The owner, Earl Pederson wanted to know if this fragile glass door once took part in a decisive battle during the Spanish-American War.

HISTORY: On February 15, 1898,  the battleship USS Maine exploded in Cuba’s Havana harbor killing 260 American officers, sailors, and marines. The U.S. government and media blamed Spain for the atrocity, giving expansionists a reason for war. A nation divided over expansion now united against a common enemy. On the morning of May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey steams into Manila Bay in the Philippines for a critical confrontation with the main fleet of the Spanish empire. For the next seven hours, the harbor is set ablaze in a barrage of exploding shells. When the battle is over, the world has been transformed. Ten Spanish ships have been destroyed, and the naval might of the once-great Spanish empire lies in ruins. Dewey’s victory in turn launches America onto the world stage. He returns home a national hero.

Now, on a salvaged door installed in an old farmhouse, the owner thinks he may have part of Commodore Dewey’s flagship –  a window salvaged  from the historic vessel.

Spanish American War commemorative frosted glass window depicting the USS OLYMPIA.

Earl had written a letter and sent it to the museum and got the reply back that this window was from Admiral Dewey’s quarters. In 1977 he made a rubbing of the window and mailed it to the Cruiser Olympia Association, a nonprofit group of veterans and enthusiasts who were then in charge of preserving the retired ship. The association told Earl that they believed the window had once been on the ship, and may even have seen action in the Philippines. They acknowledged that they couldn't pinpoint the exact date the window would have been installed onboard. Numerous alterations were made to the Olympia throughout its naval history. But they were confident that the window is authentic.

After meetings with USS OLYMPIA experts, the consensus is that this kind of a glass window could have been aboard the Olympia at that particular time. The Olympia was built specifically to be the flagship of the Asiatic squadron, the Captain’s and Admiral’s cabin particularly were replete with the finery of decoration that were all necessary for entertaining dignitaries.

This led the detectives to a meeting with Jesse Lebvoics, the  manager of the USS OLYMPIA now permanently docked at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia for his opinion. It’s possible. The ship has refit several times, most aggressively in 1901-1902 where a lot of the ornate wood work and various other pieces were removed.

Jesse referred to the original 1895 as-built blueprints and the spaces that are mentioned in that letter from the Cruisers Association: the Admiral’s cabin and the Captain’s cabin. The only window on the prints is located on the outside of the cabin. They measured the opening that turned out to be smaller than the 24 X 24 inch glass window. A second location not on the drawings was measured, but again the dimensions were wrong, concluding the there was no place on board that the window would have fit on this vessel.

So the mystery deepens. Craig Bruns at the Independence Seaport Museum was next on the list.  So History Detectives contacted him to see if he could help find an answer to the history of the window.

Craig explains that this was America’s coming out party as a world power, and Dewey was the face of
that glory. Dewey’s image became the hottest selling item…and in the postwar jubilation, even many of those
Americans once against war and expansion were caught up in Dewey-mania. Commemorative items of all types were produced in large numbers from dime store items to advertising products...everyone wanted to be on board. The window is just another piece of Dewey mania. From the smallest town to the biggest city, citizens had to have a Dewey artifact to express their patriotism: it was part of being American. But the glass window is an extremely rare Dewey memento. Most collectors haven’t seen anything like it, and remarkably, it’s survived intact for over a century.

M. A. Disbrow & Company, located at  1201 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska.

Since the airing of this episode of the "History Detectives" approximately six other examples of these windows have been reported to the staff at History Detectives. One person had some important information to share. He showed a catalog from M. A. Disbrow & Company, located at  1201 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska. This company specialized (as advertised on the sides of their attached buildings) "window & door frames, building & roofing paper, mouldings, sash, doors, blinds." Among a number of patriotic etched windows was the very same of the USS Olympia.

Etched glass window of the USS MAINE recently sold at auction.

Another etched glass window depicting the USS MAINE was recently sold  at auction. The description from the auction stated: C.1898 EXCEEDINGLY RARE ETCHED GLASS WINDOW USS MAINE
the glass is very detailed with etching of the USS MAINE that allows for a frosted and clear effect with period detailing. The window was purchased from the Rogers Bank Building in Nebraska which was built in 1894 and closed in the early 1930s after the depression years forced the doors to close.

Follow the link here to the architectural window with etched glass of the "USS MAINE" at Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery.

Follow this link here to watch the episode "USS OLYMPIA GLASS" on PBS "History Detectives."

Antique architectural window with frosted and etched glass
depicting the "USS MAINE" at Skipjack. 

 Skipjack Nautical Wares

& Marine Art Gallery

620 High Street, Portsmouth VA 23704 ~ 757-399-5012

www.SkipjackNauticalWares.com

Nautical Gifts For Men & Women From Skipjack

We've selected some of our favorite nautical picks featuring easy gift options for anyone on your shopping list!

Nautical Code Flag Acrylic Drinkware. 

Guaranteed to help you navigate in style! Barware has just become more entertaining. Inspired by the Code Flags themselves, Skipjack brings you a unique line of Nautical Drinkware from Up2Code. Say Cheers, in a new & entertaining way. Our drinkware is sure to launch lively conversation at parties or anytime, and will amuse the saltiest of sea dogs and landlubbers alike. Each adorned with their nautical signal flag and double entente meaning. The limes in the gin & tonics won’t be the only twists! Perfect at home, on the patio, at the beach or on the boat. A great addition to any home decorated with a coastal or beach decor style. Dishwasher safe. Made in the USA & Canada. Special price: $19.95 set of four 

Blue Crab Beach Bag, tote or Coastal Weekend Purse

Possibly the biggest, roomiest, most useful everything bag a gal can own -- made of tough acrylic fabric that wears and wears and holds oodles of stuff.

The artist has decorated this huge weekender from a very lively blue crab caught in the Chesapeake Bay. The vibrant shades of blue on tan with red pinchers makes a dramatic statement. Enlarged to unearthly scale, the image is guaranteed to either 1) elicit compliments, or 2) warn strangers of your cranky temperament and thereby preserve your personal space.

Just how big is it? Fifteen inches high, 16.5" wide, 5" deep, with 26" straps. Magazine-size double thick outside pocket, handy checkbook pocket on the inside, and fastened with a magnetic snap. If you love this particular lining fabric, order up quick as there's not much available. Also available as a 19" X 19" pillow for $49.00.  Blue Crab Beach Bag, tote or Coastal Weekend Purse  $65.00  Another great gift idea is our Chesapeake blue crab tote filled with Blue Crab Bay products and spice up their Christmas and holiday season!

Skipjacks- 12oz. Spicy Honey Toasted Peanuts

Skipjacks- Extra large Virginia peanuts (from the peanut capital of the world here in good old Virginia) blanketed in a crisp honey-toffee coating spiked with Blue Crab Bays Chesapeake Bay Seasoning. A deliciously addictive snack and a perfect holiday gift. 12 oz tin. All natural.  Also, try our sea salt nuts and other varieties of Blue Crab Bay Co. products  $7.50

Skipjack's wine stopper is a perfect gift for the nautical wine enthusiast made with a hand-tied Turk's head or monkey's fist knot. Perfect for use in the nautical/coastal home and on your private yacht. Clear urethane finished knot for easy maintenance. Made by one of our artists right here in Olde Towne Portsmouth, VA. Great stocking stuffer too! $14.95

Silver sand dollar earrings by Patty Anderson

Delicate but beautiful replicas of a treasure from the beach by Patty Anderson. These sand dollar earrings  compliment any beach-inspired apparel and also matches Patty Anderson's exquisite sand dollar belt (See below). $36.00.

Pewter sand dollar belt buckle with over 14 belt colors to choose from. By Patty Anderson.

 
Sand Dollar Buckle. Pewter sand dollar buckle with your choice of belt color. Shown above with White Silver Tip Gator belt. Match it with the sand dollar earrings. Each belt features an exclusively designed buckle inspired by the beach and sea. Using CAD (Computer Aided Design), Patty Anderson buckle designs are converted into molds, and molten pewter is poured into the mold to yield the finished product. The result is an exact, high-quality duplicate of her original three-dimensional design.
Pair the buckle of your choice with a leather belt in any of 14 colors. The choices range from the classic subtlety of Chestnut Brown to the bold statement of Sunshine Gator. $120.00

Nautical mirror re-purposed and created from an authentic aluminum porthole.

 

An authentic large opening ship's aluminum porthole with 3 dogs that we have recycled from the shipping industry, expertly re-purposed into an impressive nautical mirror. These portholes are made from aluminum and to the highest marine specifications, salvaged from British and European ships built in the 1970's/ 80's. Aluminum portholes are much lighter than their brass and bronze predecessors which makes them usable as a wall hanging in any nautical/coastal interior. These portholes are paint-able and we have a number available in a bright red and blue paint finish. The diameter of the glass is 16 inches. The overall diameter is 22 inch The weight is approximately 32 pounds. 

Skipjack's bay rum and lime soap.

Skipjack's bay rum and lime soap is spicy and manly!....but women love it as well. Great for salt of the earth types or for an old salt, it conjures memories of vintage sailing ships, the smell of teak and salt air and long naps in a hammock stretched between the main and the mizzen - with a twist of boat drinks, of course! You’re guaranteed to fall in love with this refreshing reminder of the sea. Our favorite! $5.95

Turk's head coasters hand-tied on Nantucket Island, Mass.

Go nautical with this set of four coasters hand-tied using the turk's head knot; made from a cotton/polyester twine; quadrupled three-lead; five-bight turk's heads that go right in the washing machine ... drip dry!  $35.00

Our new palm tree Christmas ornament from the Barbara Vincent collection.

New from the Barbara Vincent Nautical Christmas Ornament Collection. The palm tree ornament is composed of three different metals—nickel, copper and brass with small green glass bead decorations on both sides of the ornament. There is no lead or any other harmful substances in the metals; all metal pieces are designed to be safe, with a minimum of sharp corners and edges. Only lead free solder is used. A great Christmas ornament for the nautical enthusiast. The ornament measures 4 3/4 inches tall and comes with an attached hook measures 7 inches overall. Also available from Barbara Vincent is the sailboat and crab ornament. Looks great on any Christmas tree! $19.95

The Yachtsman Brass Gimbal Lamp with Smoke Bell

The Yachtsman is a traditionally styled, high quality gimballed oil lamp- a subtle yet practical way to illuminate your vessel or nautical/coastal home. Constructed of solid brass, the Yachtsman includes a 4-way gimbal and smoke bell. Comes with a two year limited warranty. Burns any standard lamp fuel. $134.99

The Barbara Vincent sterling silver nautical sailboat jewelry collection.

A great nautical gift for the female sailor in your life is Barbara Vincent's sterling silver sailboat collection. Necklaces are available individually with five different sailboats to choose from or the total collection on a 20 inch sterling silver snake chain with bead dividers. Pendants can be purchased separately at $44.00 each and sterling silver chains are available in 5 different lengths starting at $24.00.

Signal Flags from Skipjack's nautical belt collection.

Our men's signal flags nautical belt is perfect to wear with your favorite khakis, jeans, or corduroys. This cotton web ribbon belt for all seasons has full grain drum-dyed leather billet and buckle ends accentuated by the solid brass buckle. Sizes range from 32 to 46 in stock. This belt is available with your choice of red or white webbing as a background to the signal flag ribbon. Other sizes available upon request. Preview our other selections of nautical designed belts in our nautical wears category. $24.95

Skipjack's nautical dog collars are a perfect gift for you four legged family members.

Dress up your salty dog or cat with Skipjack's nautical pet products featuring a great selection of colorful nautical themed ribbon designs on durable nylon webbing for comfort and easy care.

Collars feature Delrin Acetal side release buckles for ease of fastening and separating and solid nickel plated “D” rings for strength, are available in three widths and are all easily adjusted for length. Our matching leashes feature strong nickel-plated swivel snaps. All of Skipjack's nylon webbing products are easy to clean. Just wash with mild detergent (not bleach), rinse well and hang to dry. Perfect for your nautical dog or cat! Produced in Massachusetts, USA.

Skipjack gift certificate- perfect for everyone.

Looking for the perfect gift. Give them exactly what they want with a Skipjack gift certificate . A white embossed note card personalized with your message will be sent to the gift recipient. Starting at $25.00.

Support Your Local Businesses Throughout the Holidays

The buzzword for 2010 might just be "local" -- buy local products, eat local foods, support local artists. But especially around the holidays, there's more to shopping locally than just saving on shipping costs or reducing your carbon footprint. There are less tangible benefits -- connecting with a friendly shopkeeper, reveling in the aroma from a wall of scented candles, places where you can find something for that person on your list who doesn't just want cold hard cash or an iTunes gift card.

November 27, 2010 is the first-ever Small Business Saturday. A day to come together in support of the small businesses we love. The shops and restaurants that employ our neighbors and reinvest our money close to home. The businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities and local economies.

Here at Skipjack as a participating merchant, we are offering  a store-wide 20% Off Sale on Saturday, November 27th. This is a great opportunity to come out and find that unique gift for those that cherish anything nautical on your holiday shopping list. And, while in Olde Towne, please make it a memorable day-- shop in our great specialty stores along High Street, visit the opening weekend of Winter Wonderland: The Coleman Collection and enjoy a great lunch or dinner in one of our local chef-owned restaurants. Make it a small business day and we thank you in advance!

J. Robert Burnell: Reflections of the Famed Portsmouth Artist

"The Captain's House" by J. Robert Burnell

Portsmouth artist J. Robert Burnell (Bobby) grew up around the water in a family of watermen, and sailing his own boat since he was ten years old. He has sailed on nearly every type of workboat on the Chesapeake Bay.  It's no wonder that Burnell's love of the water reflects so naturally in his marine paintings. 
Bobby Burnell is recognized for his vivid depictions of life on the Chesapeake Bay.  The subject is his favorite - each piece open and honest, providing a unique understanding of its mood and people. 'The Captain's House' by Burnell is shown above.
One of the largest collections of Burnell's marine art is on exhibit at Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery  and his works are on display in their showroom year-round.

"Scott's Creek- Circa 1915 by J. Robert Burnell

One of the keys to Burnell's success on the canvas is the work he does outside the studio.  Burnell believes in details.  They are a reflection of his work.  He has amassed a library of thousands of slides and photographs of workboats to which he constantly refers to for accuracy of detail.  Among his favorite subjects are workboats and marine scenes of New England and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. He is equally conscientious of historical correctness, researching every object’s time, place and use.
Bobby began studies in architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology, studied printmaking at Old Dominion University, and participated in independent studies with John Pike, Edgar Whitney, Ed Betts, Don Stone, Rex Brandt, Robert Bateman and George Post.

"Taking a Lick" by J. Robert Burnell

From 1972 to 2002,  Bobby Burnell was an instructor of watercolor painting at Tidewater Community College in Portsmouth, and has led summer workshops in watercolor and acrylic painting for over 30 years. He is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists and is listed in Archibald’s Dictionary of Sea Painters.
During his career, marine artist J. Robert Burnell has won numerous art awards including eight “Best in Show.” He has been honored with solo museum exhibitions at The Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth and the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum, and group shows at the Rawls Museum Arts and Virginia Lifesaving Museum.
In addition to museum shows, Burnell had annual solo exhibitions at Atlantic Gallery in Washington D.C. during its operation. Other gallery exhibitions of his work have been offered by River Gallery in Chesapeake, VA., Cudahy’s Gallery in Richmond, VA., Turtle Creek Gallery in Dallas, TX., and Vincent Hester Gallery in Portsmouth, VA,. His work is also shown in the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT., and Skipjack Marine Gallery in Portsmouth, VA.

"Skipjack" by J. Robert Vurnell

His work is included in several museum and major corporate collections. Among them are the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, Old Ebbitt Grill (Clyde’s Restaurants, Inc.), Branch Bank & Trust, Inc., Towne Bank, Bank of America, Inc., Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Nature Conservancy of Virginia, Bons Secours Health Systems, Inc. and Leesylvania State Park.

"Opening Day" by J. Robert Burnell

He was selected to create the signature painting for OpSail 2000, for the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race in 2002, and three times for Norfolk’s Harborfest. Additionally, his work was selected for exhibition in the 2007 Mystic International at the Maritime Gallery of Mystic Seaport Museum.
When Bobby is not painting boats, he continues to maintain and sail one of his own.  You just might see him out on the water.
Click here to go to Skipjack's Nautical Living home page.