Lamp Doktor

Lamp Doktor Bringing 30 years of lamp repair/restoration and creating custom lamps to Cumberland and Dauphin counties.

Drop off and pick up your lamps, sconces, or chandeliers at Bedford Street Antiques.

My customer is an avid model railroader and asked if I could convert an old switch stand lamp into a table lamp with an ...
06/16/2026

My customer is an avid model railroader and asked if I could convert an old switch stand lamp into a table lamp with an interior light and one on top with a shade. This one was used to mark switch turn outs on the Nickel Plate Railroad and was oil-powered, which meant that the interior was black with a dense layer of soot. After a lot of cleaning and some creativity, it turned out really well.
What a neat project and he was thrilled with the result:

“That is EXACTLY what I had in my mind. It is every model railroader’s dream. It would make the cover of Model Railroader magazine. It’s fantastic!”

Part II: This one was more straightforward. Stripped the ugly paint and returned it to the black wrought iron it was mea...
06/09/2026

Part II:
This one was more straightforward. Stripped the ugly paint and returned it to the black wrought iron it was meant to be. My customer’s reaction to both lamps: “They look absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much! They were a peice of this house when we bought it , you sure brought them back to life, like we did with the house.”

Part I: This was a fun and satisfying ‘restoration’. My customer found two old floor lamps in the home they purchased. T...
06/09/2026

Part I: This was a fun and satisfying ‘restoration’. My customer found two old floor lamps in the home they purchased. They had an ugly paint job and were pretty beat up. It wasn’t until I stripped all of the parts on this one that I could see that it was made out of 3 different materials. The top arm was solid brass, the stem was wood, and the base was cast metal. Had it been all brass, it would have been more straightforward.
With approval, I painted the whole lamp black and highlighted the raised design with a pewter metallic rub. Quite the transformation!

Don’t mistake decades of dirt and grime for patina. It’s amazing how much dirt can collect into nooks and crannies over ...
05/08/2026

Don’t mistake decades of dirt and grime for patina. It’s amazing how much dirt can collect into nooks and crannies over decades of use. The key is to use non-abrasive cleaners and a soft brush.

My annual SPRING CLEANING public service announcement:Please DO NOT vacuum your lampshades! It could damage or soil the ...
03/19/2026

My annual SPRING CLEANING public service announcement:
Please DO NOT vacuum your lampshades! It could damage or soil the fabric. Take each shade outside and brush lightly with a clean, soft paintbrush. The dust will be gone and your shades intact.

This converted oiled lamp was in dire need for a makeover. Not only had it become considerably tarnished, but the metal ...
03/16/2026

This converted oiled lamp was in dire need for a makeover. Not only had it become considerably tarnished, but the metal piece between the base and the bottom glass piece split in multiple places. I was able to find a brass piece that, although not a match, was the right dimensions and in keeping with the style of the base. I was able to finish that piece to match. The top metal section was solid brass and the base was a plated cast metal, hence the different finishes.

WARNING - if your lamp starts flickering or acting up, please take out the bulb and look at the socket. (Note the scorch...
03/09/2026

WARNING - if your lamp starts flickering or acting up, please take out the bulb and look at the socket. (Note the scorched socket on the right.) A socket like that is a FIRE HAZARD!! Unplug the lamp and do not use until the socket has been replaced.
Drop it off at for repair. The Lamp Doktor is happy to help!

This chandelier is the perfect example of how challenging replacing old wiring can be. The first challenge was gently pu...
02/15/2026

This chandelier is the perfect example of how challenging replacing old wiring can be. The first challenge was gently pulling out the old brittle wires without breaking them off and getting them stuck in the narrow channels.
My second challenge is illustrated in the image below. The red color shows the path the new wire had to go through the three ‘arms’. Blue is the wire from the center socket. The wires from all four sockets had to then be connected to the center cord (yellow) — all wires then fitting through a 1/2” hole and contained in the 1 1/2” diameter ‘cluster body’ (green) — the smallest one I’ve ever had. Ironic that the Lamp Doktor actually needed medical instruments to get into and around the tight spaces. The feeling when you plug it in and it works as it should is a real sense of accomplishment!

This antique chandelier from Argentina needed to be completely rewired with new sockets, the center pipe had snapped and...
02/07/2026

This antique chandelier from Argentina needed to be completely rewired with new sockets, the center pipe had snapped and was replaced, 360 pencil prisms cleaned and rehung, and the ‘crown’ repaired and the curved brass pieces straightened.
A beautiful piece! ✨

So much to see and the best staff!
01/01/2026

So much to see and the best staff!

Address

44 N. Bedford Street
Carlisle, PA
17013

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+17173778229

Website

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