Vintage Glass Lamp Shades: A Monetary Investment And Artistic Decoration

Lamp shades are an integral part of modern home decoration

, having sprung up in the late 18th century and undergoing several revolutions since. In recent times, the antique business has seen explosive growth due largely to the rise of sites like eBay.com, oldandsold.com and iGavel.com. These sites allow anyone to set up shop for buyers to view wares, bid and purchase from the comfort of their home. Together, these facts suggest that purchasing antique lamp shades can be a sound investment for not only one's home but also one's finances.

Furniture from large chain retailers devalue quickly after they are purchased. In contrast, an antique lamp shade generates returns depending on the state of the antique market. Two good examples of highly regarded antique shades are Victorian style gas lamp shades, and Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass lamp shades. A broader understanding of the market for these lamp shades will enable a buyer to select the best one in terms of both investment return as well as home decor.

Victorian style shades can be traced back to the late 1700s when gas was first harnessed for its ability to power a light source steadily and continuously. Simultaneously across Europe (England, France and Germany) several inventors came up with designs and prototypes that featured working gas lights. Quickly following they were incorporated into street, factory and home lighting. The gas shade style was characterized by a dome structure enclosing the flame and a venting hole or cylindrical structure to release heat and errant gases.

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.

The globular or spherical shape was not the only one available. Popular shade styles also include the hurricane, the cylinder and the dome profiles. Aside from the profile or style of the shade, they were also decorated on the exterior through etching, colored with minerals, or indented with waves and ruffles. Such details are drawn from the long history of glass craftsmanship.

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.

The artistic value is of such depth in antique glass lamp shades that one may center home decor entirely around the distinctive piece. The only caveat being that antique shades may be difficult or quite expensive to obtain. The upside to keep in mind is that there continues to be a healthy market for beautiful, distinctive shades, especially if they are branded like the Tiffany shades. Purchasing an antique shade now may mean gaining in the long run as the antique appreciates in value over time.

by: Ursula Townsend..

POST COMMENT

Balloon Artist San Diego- How To Make A Balloon Hat Obtaining The Best Virginia General Contractor Artist Evokes King Of Pop Senior Population In Virginia Spurs Greater Long Term Care Needs A Wide Assortment Of Artist Purses On The Web Retailers The Great Tattoo Artists Bakery Cases For Artistic Display Of Baked Goodies While Keeping Them Fresh Buy The West Virginia Mountaineers Merchandise For Encouragement Making A Living As A Visual Graphic Artist The Famous Artistic Appeal Of Ed Hardy Shirt Become An Artist With An Introduction To Figure Drawing Balloon Artist San Diego- How To Tie A Balloon How Balloon Artists Can Liven Up Your Event