New Floor Base

Century Studios is pleased to introduce the Twisted Vine Jr. Floor base to our line of reproduction Tiffany metalwork. Emerging from the round pad at the floor, the stem of the base is an ascending swirl of twisting vines. The bronze base is cast at our studio. The base is 57.5" tall and is available with 4 lights or 6 lights.

The six light version is a perfect choice for 22" shades, while the four light style can be used for 22" shades and also for 20" cone or domed shaped shades. The six light version is shown with the 22" Dragonfly shade featured on our post from July 9 http://centurystudios.blogspot.com/2023/07/22-dragonfly.html. This shade and base are currently available for purchase together or separately from our studio showroom.

Century Studios now creates three Jr. Floor bases: Bamboo, Smooth and Twisted Vine.

 

Lamp of the Week: 20" Windswept Daffodil

 

It is well known that Louis Comfort Tiffany's favorite flower was the daffodil, and the flower appears on lamp shades ranging from 14" to 28". The 20" Windswept Daffodil is a lively rendition of this bright, cheery springtime flower with the blooms dancing across the surface of the shade. Commissioned by a New Jersey client in 2013, this shade was created in vibrant jewel tones of green, yellow and deep orange/amber. The shade is shown on the Twisted Vine base (25.5" tall).

15" Spider

Century Studios will be closed Tuesday July 25.

The 15" Spider is a Tiffany shade that is usually mated with the Mushroom base. A local client commissioned this shade to be used as an inverted chandelier. The three dimensional cast bronze spider legs and scalloped edge give the fixture added visual interest.

The glass chosen has a deep golden tone that imparts a warm glow when the fixture is illuminated. Our client installed the fixture in a stairwell where the shade can be viewed from many different angles.

Lamp of the Week: 20" Arrowhead

The 20" Arrowhead has a unique design approach for a Tiffany Studios shade - representational, yet stylized and rhythmic in its execution. Arrowhead plants can be found near ponds and streams and the distinctive shape of the foliage is used here to great effect. A sunset orange sky at the top sets the color tone for this shade. Warm tones were chosen for each element throughout the shade. Shown on the sculptural Cattail base, this shade was commissioned by a client in Texas in 2011.

16" Banded Daffodil

The 16" Banded Daffodil is covered in masses of daffodils bursting to escape the horizontal border rows that are trying to keep them in check. Warm tones of yellow, amber and green give this piece a golden glow.

The fracture glass used for the background was made by Schlitz Studios in the 1990's. The fracture gives the shade an additional layer of visual interest. Shown on the Small Stick base (20" tall), this shade was commissioned by a client in Texas.

Time Travel

We recently rediscovered a student documentary film about Century Studios made over 20 years ago by Rebecca Noran as an assignment for a film class at the University of Minnesota.

The film documents Century Studios at our former location in downtown Minneapolis, a space we occupied for over 20 years. Bill Campbell has edited the original documentary for length so that we may share the highlights from the film.

22" Dragonfly

The 22" Dragonfly is one of the most popular shade patterns offered by Tiffany Studios. This design is often referred to as the Drophead Dragonfly shade, because the undulating lower edge of the shade is formed by the heads and wings of the flying insects. The surface of this generously proportioned lamp is studded with pressed glass cabochon "jewels", further adding to the three dimensional quality of the piece. The multi-colored jewels were created by our studio. 

For the body of the shade we chose a Lins glass that starts off-white at the top and fades into a deep wine color. The Lins Glass foundry created exceptional Tiffany quality glass that is characterized by its surface hazing and painterly colors. The company ceased production in the late 1990's and their glass is highly prized by glassmakers and collectors. Contrasting the rich background are blue winged dragonflies and lively jewels.

This shade can be used as a table lamp, floor lamp or chandelier fixture. We are showing the shade with the elegant Large Lion's Foot base (28" tall, telescopes taller). This exceptional lamp is currently available for purchase from our studio showroom.
 

Lamp of the Week: 16" Wild Rose

The 16" Wild Rose has a wide border of rambling roses on the lower half of the shade. The upper portion is a deconstructed geometric that resembles the paving on a garden path. Created in 2001 for a local client, this shade has warm amber tones mixes with hints of green and pink. The flowers are rendered in delicate shades of pink and rose, with dappled green foliage. The shade is shown on the Lummis base (18.5" tall).

16" Woodbine and Studio Hours

The 16" Woodbine is a Tiffany shade design that deftly juxtaposes geometric and naturalistic elements. The woodbine (also known as Virginia Creeper) is a climbing plant whose leaves turn bright red in the fall. The design is defined by a geometric trellis upon which the plants grow, covering the lower two thirds of the shade in leaves.

The rich blue background glass evokes the early twilight hours just before the sky turns from blue to black. Fracture streamer glass gives the shade added depth of color and texture. The lush green foliage is just starting to show hints of color change coming in late summer.

Shown on the elegant Decorated Trumpet base (22" tall) this lamp was created as a showroom piece and is now in a private collection.

 Century Studios will be closed Tuesday July 4th