Vintage Glass Lamp Shades: The Decoration That Yields Returns
March 19, 2010 by Constantine Vukovich
Filed under Antiques
Glass light shades are noted for their decorative value in modern home decor. They first rose to prominence as an art form in the early 1800s when gas lighting was first invented. In addition, in recent years the antique business has burgeoned online through the introduction of sites like iGavel and eBay. These sites duplicate the function of big auction houses but are much more accessible to small time sellers and buyers. These facts are an indication of how buying an antique shade for one's shade is both a good aesthetic investment as well as a financial one.
Unlike many other kinds of furniture, buying a valuable antique lamp shade may accrue returns over time as the antique ages. The two best examples are the Victorian gas shades that have been popular since the early 1800s, as well as the stained glass shades made by the Tiffany design company. An understanding of these and other styles will help one pick out the best investment that is also most compatible with one's existing home decor.
Lamp shades that follow the Victorian style became popular in the early 1900s. Although their popularity peaked in the Victorian age, they actually have a long history starting from the first gas lamp shades in the late 1700s. They were deeply appreciated for the safety they afforded to those who needed to travel around town at night, working late evenings in factories, or entertain themselves and guests at home after sun down. One of the most popular and canonical shapes of the Victorian shades was the globe or sphere that enveloped the gas flame. On the top was an opening that permitted the escape of gases or heat.
When real flames were lit in glass shades for lighting, a popular style was the chimney shade. The chimney shade also gave way to the hurricane shade. in both, there is a clear, thin and tall glass enclosure which helped feed air to the burning process and also kept out drafts.
Spheres and globes were not the only shapes available. Other styles included the cylinder or hurricane styles, both of which were more elongated than the globe. Various designs could be etched onto the outer surface. The glass could also be colored to achieve subtle aesthetic variations. These aspects of glass making could be traced back hundreds or even thousands of years to the first people who worked with making ornate and decorative glass goblets, cups, and church-style stained glass windows.
Tiffany stained glass shades were sensational in the early 1900s and continue to be popular today. They were designed by a man by the name of Tiffany who drew his inspiration from old Church-style stained glass shades. He had noticed that one could achieve simple scenes of nature such as animals and insects with very simple materials: a few iron rods and some panes of colored glass. The effect achieved with a light shining through the stained shade mesmerized many.
Tiffany produced a large number of well-received designs. As a result a large number of manufacturers started producing imitations that have become known as "Tiffany-style" shades. Of course, the copies were not of the same quality and lack authenticity, nor do they hold value as well as the real ones. An investor should learn the ins and outs of authentic glass shades, understanding the signs that mark them as original.
Glass lamp shades are good pieces for attracting attention and for being a topic of conversation. Many will find that the decor of a room can be centered around it. However, finding an antique shade can be quite expensive. The key element to keep in mind is that the antique retains value over time. The antique market does operate on cycles, but the history of antique shades has taught us that they have tremendous enduring value as long as we continue to illuminate our homes with such technology.
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