I may go to yard sale after yard sale, peer in boxes, peruse belongings on the lawn, glance through junk stuff lining tables, and every so often, a gem appears amongst the chaos.
No, not that wicker stool. The chandelier sitting on top of the wicker chair! A true treasure. Besides the fact it is just plain cool (and completely vintage looking), it has a history!
I picked it up from a pile to ask how much, and the owner said, “it has a story. Do you care to know about its history?”
Uh….heck yeah. I hardly ever know anything about the things I bring home, so it is a total treat to hear about the history of a particular piece.
This chandelier, I was told belonged to Hedda Hopper.
It’s ok. I didn’t know who Hedda Hopper was either (my mom and dad did…but they’re old). In a nutshell, Hedda Hopper was a MAJOR Hollywood personality back in the Clark Gable days. She was known for her elaborate and ornate hats. She even was awarded her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
And, evidently, she owned a home in the hills of Claremont. As the story goes, this chandlier hung in her Claremont home.
Ordinarily, I would completely re-vamp the appearance of it…paint it, add some crystals. But, knowing a bit about its history…well, I feel compelled to just leave it as-is. sigh
For now.
