Shades for home lighting are an important part of modern home decor. Antique shades first came out of the 1790 gas lighting revolution, and underwent several evolutionary changes since. In more modern times, the business of buying and selling antique items has undergone some amazing growth, in no small part because of websites like eBay and iGavel.com. These websites act like middlemen for auctioneers and bidders, allowing both to conduct a transaction from their own office or home. The combination of these facts suggests that getting an antique shade for one’s home can be a sound financial investment.
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 gas-fired flames were used as a light source, the chimney style lamp shade was quite popular. An offshoot of this were the hurricane shades. Both exhibited tall clear glass that enclosed the flame to protect it from the window and funnel fresh air in to keep the combustion smooth.
Victorian shades also came in other shapes such as the hurricane shade or the dome shade. The exterior surface of the glass lamp shades were invariably decorated with ornate and intricate designs, oftentimes acid etched to produce a frosty appearance. The one constant is that the gas shades had a top opening for dissipating the gas and heat. Nowadays of course, the shade would be used with electrical bulbs making the hole merely decorative.
In the early 1900s, glass lamp shades designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany became a sensation in the design world. Tiffany came from a long family of designers, his father having started the famous jewelry store that now bears their name. He was claimed to have been inspired by the craftsmanship of old church windows that blended scenes outlined with iron rods and then colored with stained glass panes.
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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categories: lighting,lights,home accessories,business,decoration,interior design,home decor,furniture,home and garden,home and family,home improvement,home,investments,antiques
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