This lamp has lovely bones (simple, wrought iron) but had a most unsuitable large ivory paper shade which is likely the reason the lamp was still unsold near the end of the church sale when I showed up.
(Caveat: I had thought to check if the lamp worked and the sellers kindly obliged finding a light bulb and an electrical outlet to show that it did. But when I got it home and took off the shade support it was to find the housing cracked and the wiring iffy. I could and did rewire it; caution is a good idea with used items. My experience over the years has been that the majority of people do not donate/want to get rid of things that are in perfect condition.)
The lampshade – lovely in itself and in perfect condition – got donated back to a thrift shop and I have been trying out other shades for the past few weeks.
An old roundish wicker shade from a hanging lamp from the Sixties was considered (50 cents at a church sale for the whole thing; the wiring was 'toast'; the long chain salvaged). It was … okay.
The lamp seemed to want an elongated shade.
Another of the weekly church thrift shops turned up a very large rectangular shade. It was – too big.
I had very much liked the shadows the wickery shade made and black fiberglass screening came to mind. I have used this in garments.
I wrapped it around a white frame (from a free pile) - did not like the shape. Formed the screening into a rectangle with outer seams and pagoda points. Nope.
Made a rectangle with inside seams and narrow ends; bent the round white frame into a flatter narrower shape; put the screening over it.
I need to tweak it more; but it is evolving.
It is quite stunning at night. Maybe the white frame needs to be painted black.