The Story Of Tiffany Antique Glass Lamp Shades

A very well-known and famous type of antique glass lamp shade is the Tiffany. It is now imitated in department stores and malls. But one look at the real thing will demonstrate to even the most casual observer why they are so sought-after. The Tiffany shades look impossibly delicate and difficult to construct. Imitations invariably look blocky encumbered by the feeling of being mass manufactured.

The casual observer sees that the lamp is made up of small panels of stained glass that seem to be pieced together. In fact, there is nothing else holding the pieces of glass together except for bits of glue and solder. There is no rigid frame to provide support. Instead all of it is like a jigsaw puzzle that falls apart under time and stress.

The way Tiffany constructed these lamps was to first create a mold base that had the shape of the lamp. Small pieces of glass are then painstakingly placed on the surface of the mold to create a lamp. After the little panes of glass are in position, they are glued, and then soldered with silver or lead to cement them into place. A top and bottom ring provide the only spanning support. Restorers often have to disassemble the entire structure and put it back together again.

The style of glass lamp shades that is widely known as Tiffany shares a history with the luxury jewelry retailer that is famed all over the globe. The inventor, Louis Comfort Tiffany, lived in the early 1900s, forging novel art and improving the area of home decorating. There are two main reasons why Tiffany indulged in lamp shades. The first is that he had classical training in the arts and understood the construction of stained glass windows in churches. The second is that he was by trade also an interior designer who thought up novel home decor ideas. His creations were well-known for being multi-colored, brilliant and deeply moving. Many years later his early works are still sought after, though most are in need of restorative work.

Torchiere shades are the ubiquitous standing lamps found in homes. They are versatile as they can be moved to different locations as need be in the house. The tall lamp projects light upward, casting a soft glow on everything. The lamp shade has a cone design with a highly large angle. This allows it to spread the light the most, canonically toward the ceiling so light is reflected back off the walls. The sizes and available hues are numerous for torchieres. Make sure you have the correct width by finding out the top diameter, in addition to the width of the fitter.

Glass lamp shades can be found in a plethora of shapes and sizes. The shapes are given descriptive names, such as hurricane glass shades and gas lamp shades. The hurricane shade is characterized by a curvy pear shape that bulges in the waist and afterwards getting narrow into a pinched-off neck. Simply by its vase-like shape it is a highly stylish piece of lighting. One other fascinating shade is the traditional Victorian shade that saw itself popularized in the age of Queen Victoria. The period watched over the coming-to-age of gas lighting and the consequent increase in both number and artistic styles.

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