M. Shields LTD

 

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Rama K.

Concord, CA

7/24/2008

My stepmother is very meticulous. She had been looking for the perfect matching chandelier for her new stained glass window. I got dragged into a day long adventure (because i have a pickup truck) going to every store, antique shop, big box store in order to find it. The craziness we put up with for family.
She had been recomended to try this place, I was reluctant as we are from the east bay and the drive to Redwood City is not on my top 10 list of things to do. Much to my surprise I found this place to be unique, clean and full of antiquities that you simply wont find at any big box store. Matt is very courteous as well.
My stepmom found her precious chandelier, liked the place so much that she called my wife so the two of them can go browsing.
I never really get into this review thing, its sort of new to me. Though it sure was nice to see a small business sticking it to the mass produced companies and makes it worth my time to write it up.

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13

Allison S.

San Francisco, CA

8/30/2009

Every once in a while, you come across someone who is a master at what they do. Matt Shields is one of those rarities. I gave him a battered pair of good-sized 1930s alabaster lamps that my grandmother had passed down to me. They are very precious to me, and they needed a lot of help. On one, the base had broken off, and they were both dull and somewhat unstable. Yelpers had recommended Matt, and they did not disappoint! After seven days, these lamps looked absolutely stunning! They are also perfectly authentic to the period. He took tremendous care to re-stack and secure the pieces (gently shaving the connecting areas, as needed) so each fitted perfectly on top of the other. He used the best possible materials for securing each piece, replacing certain metallic parts with period-authentic items from his inventory, and re-wiring the whole. As someone with a keen eye for detail, I was enormously impressed. He is a true artist, someone who really cares about even the smallest detail. This is the kind of expertise and work ethic that renews your faith in humanity. I could not be more pleased.

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Elite '09

31

692

Audrey B.

San Francisco, CA

9/13/2008

Matt did a fantastic job restoring/rewiring 3 chandeliers and a light for me. When I dropped off the lights, he walked me through what needed to be done to each and it was apparent that he is a lighting expert with extreme passion for his work. The turnaround time was really fast considering the work that needed to be done on the lights, and even though I was thinking it would  cost a fortune (he kept talking about the "custom" pieces that he was going to make for the lights), it was really affordable. He has a huge shop full of beautifully restored lights and tons of lights that he hasn't yet restored. It would be a great place to go if you're looking for a specific light - he could probably build almost anything you wanted. Matt's knowledge is immense and he has an almost obsessive interest in lighting. I can't recommend him highly enough...

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