• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
House of Hawthornes
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Budget Decor
  • Thrifting
  • Seasonal
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Decorating
  • Thrifting
  • Seasonal
  • 🛒 Our Amazon Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Thrift Store Finds

    Vintage Alabaster Lamps And Those Who Love Them

    Published by Pam Kessler | 358 words. · About 2 minutes to read this article. - 30 Comments

    I've always loved the look of alabaster lamps. They're organic, but in a fancy way. Something about the hard, cold feeling of the alabaster and its subtle glossiness just speaks to me.

    "Buy me", they say. There is no way I am paying $50 for you", I reply.

    So I was over the moon excited when I found one at the local Goodwill on their ½ off day. Marked $6.99, so I paid a mere $3.50 (shade is not included in that price, because then all of a sudden it's not the deal of the century).

    Alabster table lamp

    Now if you follow me on Instagram, you know that the silly thrift store workers marked the lamp with a grease pen. Oh, the humanity!

    Alabaster table lamp

    Fuzzy Photo from Instagram

    Really, on a glass lamp it wouldn't matter, but alabaster is somewhat finicky about giving up its stains. So this ended up being a bigger deal than the poor thrift store worker may have thought when they priced it along with all the other 4,000 items they priced that day.

    I ended up getting it off, but not sure I want to tell the whole internet how I did it. As a lover of all things vintage, I am not proud of it.

    OK, I can tell just you guys, right?

    According to all my Googling, you NEVER want to use water or heavy duty cleaners on alabaster or you are in jeopardy of really ruining the piece FOREVER. A lot of people really recommend you JUST LEAVE IT ALONE. Something about alabaster being very porous, very fragile and extremely water soluble.

    Alabaster table lamp

    So after reading all of Google's astute advice, I used Soft Scrub on a q-tip and gently (very gently) rubbed off the grease pen stain and then wiped it down with a damp rag. I know, I broke the cleaning rules!!!

    Thankfully, I didn't have any sandpaper nearby or I might have tried that!

    So far the price hasn't magically reappeared and there are no huge dents in the alabaster, so I think I dodged a bullet on that one. Now I just have to watch out for the alabaster police.

    « Chalk Paint, Milk Paint And Other Distressing News
    I Heart My Thrifty Finds »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. NanaDiana

      January 24, 2014 at 12:05 am

      Glad the mark came off! I love alabaster lamps, too. I sold a pair of them a few years ago and could kick myself now. xo Diana

      Reply
    2. [email protected]

      January 24, 2014 at 8:24 am

      Whatever works 🙂 Lovely lamp...what a bargain!!

      Reply
    3. LivingVintage

      January 24, 2014 at 3:33 pm

      Beautiful lamp at an unbelievably low price! How can you beat that? You find the best deals! I must start hitting the thrift stores in my area.

      Reply
    4. Mitchypoo

      January 24, 2014 at 10:33 pm

      Great post! We have an alabaster lamp and this is good to know because I wasn't sure how to clean it. Now I'll just lightly dust it and enjoy!

      Reply
    5. Pamela

      January 25, 2014 at 1:03 pm

      Oh man I am sick! I cannot believe you payed so little for that lamp!!! My friend who owns an antique place has the identical one and i drool over it every summer. The price?? $80!!!!!!
      I think i might have considered smacking the thrift store worker! Oh the stupidity!

      Reply
    6. [email protected] Vintage

      January 25, 2014 at 7:16 pm

      You scored girlfriend! Thanks for letting us know how you removed the stain, your experience may be helpful one day.

      Reply
    7. Vickie @ Ranger 911

      January 27, 2014 at 9:23 am

      After reading your newest post, I realized I missed this one! I love your new/old lamp, Pam! Great deal! I visited our local thrift shop to drop some clothing off and bought a bunch of books for only 10 cents apiece. Woo hoo!

      Reply
    8. Lynne

      August 14, 2017 at 10:53 pm

      How do I find the value of my column lamps that my parents bought in Spain in 1956?

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Learn how to create a budget friendly home you'll love using repurposed thrift store finds, easy DIY & craft projects and seasonal gardening tips.

    Trending Content:

    • DIY Industrial Pipe Shelves
    • How To Grow Peonies - A Complete Guide
    • How To Paint A Front Door Without Removing It
    • Homemade Squirrel Repellent Recipe
    • DIY Earring Holder
    • How to Make A Penny Bowling Ball
    • Top 10 Thrift Store Shopping Tips
    • Blueberry Crostata Recipe
    • How To Make Winter Porch Pots
    • How To Grow Hydrangea In Pots

    About Me

    Pam Kessler | Author of House Of Hawthornes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories
    • Blog

    Let's Connect

    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    Shop

    • Amazon Favorites
    • Shop The Look

    Please use appropriate safety precautions when attempting projects. All projects are attempted at the reader's own risk.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 House Of Hawthornes, LLC

    🍪 We use cookies to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    I Accept Read Privacy Notice
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled

    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

    Non Necessary

    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.