Werner Hiemann takes items, such as this early 20th-century fencing mask, and turns them into lamps.
This crescent lamp is made from an old scale and would be an aesthetic light source for any home.
Werner Heimann prizes himself on restoring and repurposing antiques so they can continue to bring people joy.
Werner Hiemann’s gramophone record player still plays music.
A close up of a gramophone record player Werner Hiemann has turned into a lamp.
Werner Hiemann has a knack for turning old-fashioned machines, musical instruments and gadgets into lamps he sells at Birch and Crow Vintage Market in Battle Ground.
“Things are just beautiful the way they used to make them,” Hiemann said. “It’s one way to pass along history. Make it functional, use it, admire it. It becomes a good conversation piece. It serves many purposes. You feel like you have something special.”
The first lamp Hiemann showed off during a visit from The Reflector was a gramophone record player with a big light bulb coming out of the speaker. It still plays music and lights up with the touch of a finger.
“The first thing that comes to my mind is, where are you going to put a switch and where are you going to put the cord? I see a lot of art pieces where they put socket and hook it up and have a cord hanging from whatever,” Hiemann described. “So, with something like this, I thought … well, if you’re going to put a switch, you might as well just have a touch situation. If they touch any part that has got metal, it will light up.”
Hiemann doesn’t like to take away what the item was originally intended for. There’s a lamp with gears you can turn and sharpen a knife, a lamp out of a jar you can still open, a bug sprayer with a light on the end, a clarinet, a movie projector, a typewriter and more.
“People love it. It’s not for everybody, but eventually each piece finds its home,” Hiemann said. “It’s just fun to be creative. It’s like a puzzle.”
Hiemann works on these lamps in his basement. Sometimes, they just come together. For the most part, he puts them together several times until he likes what he sees.
“I’ve always been inclined to art since I remodel for a living. Always have all kinds of tools and all kinds of parts,” Hiemann said. “I thought this is a great way to utilize all my tools at home just building things a little bit differently. It’s just fun.”
He uses Edison light bulbs for these lamps. They’re not energy efficient, but Hiemann said people seem to like this type of glow because it’s easier on the eyes. The softer light sets the mood.
Since these lamps are so vintage, Hiemann makes sure when people grab them they don’t fall apart. He follows the same standards of normal light fixtures people buy for their homes.
“There’s never going to be one that’s the same. That’s the thing. Each piece is one of a kind,” Hiemann said. “Around Christmas, let’s say, if someone doesn’t know what to give somebody that has everything, this would be very unique.”
Werner Hiemann’s wife Leza loves these lamps. They are excellent conversation starters at the Birch and Crow Market they own.
“He’s incredibly creative,” Leza said. “He goes down to the basement with what he’s starting with and comes back up with something amazing. I’ve loved every one of them that he has ever done. They’re really unique.”
