Lamp of the Week: 16" Tulip

With  snowstorms traveling through Minnesota on almost a daily basis, it is nice to be reminded that spring will be with us shortly...well, by June at any rate! The 16" Tulip shade reminds us that warm sunny days are coming.

The flowers for this shade were created in a variety of red tones, some streaked with yellow, others tinged with pink and purple. Muted greens were chosen for the abundant foliage, and a light fracture/streamer glass was used for the sky at the top. The pale green borders and light earth tone used for the ground keeps the shade from looking heavy. Created in 2002 and now in a private collection, the shade is shown on the sculptural Mockturtle base (21.5" tall).

Fish Lamp

Cold winter nights make us long for the lazy days of summer, and the 16" Fish shade is a welcome reprieve from snow and cold outside.

The 16" Fish shade is one of the more unusual and rare Tiffany shade designs (fewer than five original examples are known to exist). Five Koi fish dance rhythmically across the surface of the shade amongst floating vegetation. The underwater scene is an escape to hot summer days spent at the edge of a pond.

Filigree is an important design element of this shade. The fins and tails of each fish is accented by the addition of pierced metal filigree which adds dimension to the design. Commissioned by a local client, the shade is shown on the impressive Bell Pepper base (10 1/2" to the armset). Both shade and base are created at Century Studios.

Website Update

Yesterday's snow day gave us the opportunity to update our website. Along with swapping out many lamp photos, new shade and base designs that were introduced on our blog postings have been added to the Gallery section of our site. To view our website, go to www.centurystudios.com

Century Studios Closed

Due to weather conditions, Century Studios will be closed today and will resume regular business hours tomorrow.

9" Chain Mail Lantern

We first introduced the 6" wide Chain Mail Lantern in 2012, and are pleased to add a new, larger 9" Chain Mail Lantern to our ever expanding list of lamps and fixtures. This new lantern has a bolder look, while still remaining a light, airy hanging fixture. The original 6" Chain Mail Lantern is shown to the right of the new 9" wide fixture.

As shown in these production photos from a previous post, chain mail can be created using any color of glass.

Each individual piece of chain mail is created by hand, in a technique that Irwin refers to as "weaving with glass and metal". Starting with a small copper framework, which we had made to Tiffany's original specifications, a piece of hand cut glass is encased within the square. During the process, the small metal loops that tie one square to the next are incorporated. As the squares are attached to one another, a "metal fabric" is created that forms the decorative curtain of the lantern.

The new lantern is 9" wide and has 8 rows of chain mail. The fixture is shown at 33" in length, and can be made longer with the addition of more chain. The minimum length of the fixture without any chain is 25".

Lamp of the Week: Roses for Valentine's Day

For St. Valentine's day, the never fading beauty of the 25" Rose Bush shade is the perfect bouquet. Red roses are the symbol of love, passion, beauty, courage and respect. The blue background glass and mottled green foliage provide a stunning backdrop for more than a dozen red roses in full bloom. Shown on the Arc base (31" tall), this shade was created as a showroom piece in 2005 and is now in a local collection.

18" Alamander

The 18" Alamander is a shallow, cone shaped shade covered in open blooms. Alamander plants are often found near streams and ponds and due to its showy flowers it is referred to as "Golden Trumpet", even though cultivated varieties can have white or purple flowers.

 Commissioned by a client in Californis, the shade blends together deep orange, amber and yellow flowers against a backdrop of purple that is tinged with blue and yellow. The green leaves and stems enliven the rich tones of the background, playing off  the border rows at the top and bottom of the shade. The shade is shown on the telescoping Lion's Foot base (22" to 26" tall).

Lamp of the Week: 18" Turtleback

The turtlebacks in the decorative band of this 18" Turtleback shade are narrow and wide, accentuating the horizontal look of the piece. This shade is made from a rippled glass in yellow green/spring green that has hints of light blue throughout. The rippled surface of the glass faces the interior of the shade, so when unlit the shade appears smooth and comes to life when illuminated. Commissioned by a Texas client in 2011, this 18" Turtleback shade is shown on the Decorated Library base.

Turtleback Hanging Lanterns

This matching pair of Turtleback Hanging Lanterns w/Swirls was recently completed for a client in California. The four sided lanterns have amber/orange turtlebacks which will impart a warm glow.