Antique Glass Lamp Shade Craftsmanship And The Tiffany Shade

A famous type of antique glass lamp shade is the Tiffany which is renowned all over the globe for their exquisite craftsmanship. Even so, most people do not understand how much labor goes into the making of each of these shades. Correspondingly the amount of labor and talent required to restore one of these is also very high.

The non-specialist sees that the shade is composed of tiny little pieces of glass that are put together like a jigsaw puzzle. There does not seem to be a frame of any sort holding everything in place. This is indeed the case as each piece of glass is individually wrapped edgewise with a sliver of copper and then glued to its neighbors with solder. It is a delicate construction that can be damaged easily.

Tiffany himself made these lamps by putting all the pieces onto a mold to act as a stabilizing base. It was on this base where they were glued and soldered together to keep them in place. A solid ring on both the top and bottom helps a bit to keep everything in place once the mold was removed. The restorer’s job is complicated by the fact that he or she has to recreate the mold. Occasionally, a very serious restoration job requires complete disassembly of the entire shade.

Tiffany shades share a history with the well-regarded jewelry retailer that is familiar around the globe. The designer, Louis Comfort Tiffany, was a man of the early 20th century, forging novel art and improving the industry of interior decorating. Tiffany was an owner of his own business. He used his position to innovate prolifically, aided by classical techniques in stained glass and translating them into new media. The Tiffany lamp shades are made up of panes of stained glass framed in metal, the construction of which mirrors church windows. When lit, they became brilliant scenes drawn from natural scenes such as animals, insects and landscapes.

Torchiere glass lamp shades are often used for brightening up parts of the home with gentle lighting. The term torchiere is synonymous with standing lamp. There are a number of shade shapes for torchieres, but perhaps one of the most popular is the cone lamp shade. Torchiere shades come in a number of colors and sizes. Get the measurements of the diameter on wide side for telling the retailer and also on the lower side where the lamp fitter connects to the shade.

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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