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Lighting by Rejuvenation

Rejuvenation is passionate about reproducing lighting and hardware from the 1890s through the 1960s, and they have been so kind as to share a sneak peek into their production process for their Galaxy chandelier, a handcrafted aluminum mid-century modern fixture.

A lot of effort goes into selecting and researching a light fixture before beginning production here in our Portland, OR factory. We strive to match or exceed the quality and craftsmanship of the originals to create a light that will last a lifetime or more. One of our latest introductions is the iconic hourglass fixture of the 1950s and 1960s. Here’s a look behind the scenes:

We have an extensive archive of catalogs dating back to the 1800s that we consult regularly for inspiration. Our designers reviewed the history and lineage of hourglass fixture designs searching for the perfect look to recreate and landed on this collection originally offered by EJS Lighting in 1959.

Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to find an original fixture to help in the reverse engineering process, as seen here.

Once we’ve decided on the light we want to make our industrial designer takes over. He did several studies to identify just the right proportions and details.

Since every light is made to order in our factory we have aisles and aisles of raw parts waiting to be picked and assembled. Once an order is received, each component needed to build it is gathered by a member of our production team.

The necessary parts are collected and placed in a tray, along with the order information and moved on to the lacquer room.

The hourglass lights are available in four finishes: Brushed Aluminum, White Enamel, Black Enamel and Bronzetone. Each cone goes through our lacquer room and is hand sprayed with a protective coat of lacquer. To achieve the Bronzetone finish the lacquer is tinted; White or Black Enamel finishes are painted prior to the lacquer being applied.

Most of our lighting is available in with incandescent bulbs or the energy efficient GU24 option which is a hardwired compact fluorescent technology.

The hourglass shape is actually two cones put together. Here, Adam — one of our master craftsmen — shows us how it’s done.

Once the light is built, all of the wiring is connected and tested to ensure it meets UL standards.

After the light is completed and passes the quality test, the craftsman who built it attaches a label with his signature, and sends it on to the last step in the process. It is carefully hand-packed and shipped off to its new home.

Here you see our Galaxy chandelier and its warm starlight twinkle illuminating a dining room.

Jaime Derringer, Founder + Executive Editor of Design Milk, is a Jersey girl living in SoCal. She dreams about funky, artistic jewelry + having enough free time to enjoy some of her favorite things—running, reading, making music, and drawing.