Vintage Hardware - Travelworld - Kelly Deco Light Museum

Travelworld Magazine / travelworldmagazine.com / March/April 2008

By Michelle Newman

"There is no museum collection like this in the whole world, there just isn't" says Ken Kelly founder, curator, and owner of the Kelly Deco Light Museum in Port Townsend, Washington. The museum is the culmination of 30 years of collecting. Before Kelly decided to open the museum, he took one year off from business to do his lighting research. "I was really concerned about getting it right," says Kelly, the ultimate perfectionist.

Kelly is an avid collector of Art Deco light fixtures and when his collection got out of control and expanded to over 2,000 pieces, he knew it was time to open a museum and share his collection with others. These light fixtures are his 'babies' and the 300 to 400 museum exhibits are all hand-picked. His mission is not only to exhibit the finest American Art Deco light fixtures, but also to educate and inspire others in the preservation effort.

When people ask Kelly why he spent all of this money opening a museum that doesn't generate any income, his response is usually that he feels a strong sense of obligation to educate and share his knowledge before it is lost forever. There's not even an entry charge to his museum since he feels that he is providing a visual community service. He just wants to share his passion and 'eye candy' with all who are interested in these highly sought after Art Deco beauties.

Kelly was born and bred in the Bay area and had a business in Santa Rosa since 1968 selling antiques and reproduction light fixtures that are manufactured in his factory in China. In 2001, the Kelly family moved to Port Townsend and "It was love at first sight."

"I feel very pleased and privileged that the community has embraced me, my family and my business." The Kelly family volunteers for the yearly Victorian Festival and the Jefferson Historical Society raising funds for the preservation of historic buildings. When their museum opened it was a grand time for all with a live band playing music from the 1930s, and visitors and staff dressed in vintage costumes.

When Kelly isn't busy buying more pieces for the museum's collection, he is running the family business that manufactures authentic reproductions at their seven-acre factory in China. His company, Vintage Hardware, sells over 2,500 items of antique restoration hardware and more than 300 authentic items of reproduction lighting.

This is a family affair with his wife Jane and two daughters Cynthia and Raechel helping run the business. Some of the chandelier reproductions are quite elaborate and require up to 50 molds for a single chandelier.

He sells both antique lights and reproductions. Reproductions are clearly marked and labeled as are the authentic fixtures. Kelly says "How much more authentic can you get than buying from a museum group?" When film crews need authentic period pieces for props or special reproductions for movies, they often contact Kelly. And when the White House embarked on their recent restoration, they came to Kelly for three Neo-Rococco fixtures that no one else could make for them.

When Kelly noted that so many Art Deco fixtures were being bought up and absorbed by collectors, he realized there was a serious gap in passing on knowledge since there were so few fixtures available. With Art Deco lighting, he observed that no one had taken on this specific realm in any depth. He also noticed that books barely touched upon or mentioned this and many times incorrectly. "Most authors don't have a clue about this," observes Kelly.

"This realization really surprised me and got the ball rolling," says Kelly, who's the kind of no-nonsense guy that puts his money where his mouth is. "People ask me all the time why did I do it? Why did I spend so much money on Art Deco fixtures just to make a museum when it doesn't make any money? I tell them for 30 years I have bought, collected, traded, and accumulated. Now I feel that I can give back to the community as a preservationist and educator."

For the museum's interior, Kelly paid lots of attention to many fine quality details. The display cabinets are built from exotic Burmese teak which is the same wood that graced many of the decks of the Art Deco era yachts. The impressive ornate bronze doors circa 1920 came from UCLA during a re-model. There's also a conference and teaching room where Kelly offers lectures on the history of hardware and tours of the museum during the Victorian Festival and other special charity functions.

"We hope that this is only the beginning," says Kelly, whose goal is to continue enlarging the museum and offering seminars and lectures. He states that his payback comes when a visitor's face lights up and is struck in awe by the collection. "That's payment in full," he says.

www.thedecomuseum.com

360 379-9030 (Vintage Hardware)