Industrial Vintage Lighting by Mike and Jodie Abbott of LovePhoebe. I am part of a great community of mummy entrepreneurs on facebook, called Reading Mumpreneurs, the group was set up as a place where local mums can share their experiences and provide and receive support and advice. Central to the group is the fact it is for mums so it is somewhere you can talk about any challenges and successes you are having juggling being a parent with running a business without being worried whether it is appropriate or not. Jodie is part of this group. She answered my call for local artisans to have their handmade products photographed by me and championed on my website.

Jodie told me about her husband Mike’s beautiful handmade industrial vintage lighting, when Mike is not off being a pilot in the RAF he can be found in his shed making stunning cage lamps with vintage fabric twisted cables and a whole manner of other bespoke pieces. One of my favourites is the naval signalling tripod lamp, originating from the 1940s Mike spent 30 hours painstakingly restoring and rewiring it, taking care to maintain it’s worn, aged appearance.

It was once used for Morse Code aboard a British vessel, it now sports a 60 watt fully dimmable filament bulb that glows beautifully in the original concave mirror. It stood proudly in my sitting room giving off a smell of the linseed oil, I had plans for a styled photoshoot with it next to a well dressed man reading a paper, drinking whiskey … it broke my heart when Mike sold it! It was bought for a gentleman for Christmas by his wife in Reading, it went to a good home.

I hear Mike is making another. The Abbotts and I share a love for family photography and well made beautiful things. Mike has been commissioned by us to make us some hanging cage lights for a renovation project. A photography client of mine saw his tripod lamp and has commissioned him to make something for her beautiful home. If you have something in mind why not support a small business and give him a call.

Mike bought over a couple of pieces including the industrial vintage lighting for me to photograph, it gives me great pleasure to support a lovely couple who makes the most beautiful items. Mike has made two industrial vintage lighting lamps available to purchase on my website https://www.sapnaodlinphotography.com/shop/. I take 0% commission. If you’re stuck for a present for someone special why not head over to their website and see if you can find something for someone special. Your item will arrive beautiful packaged giving you the feeling that only individually produced quality items can give you. 

Or indeed if you know a local producer of something beautiful who would like to be featured on my website, please put them in touch with me.