Studio Hours

Century Studios is closed until Friday January 2, 2015

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Lamp of the Week: 18" Poinsettia

Commissioned in 2008 by a client in Illinois, this lush 18" Poinsettia has a deep blue fracture glass background peeking through the olive green trellis. The red poinsettias are a mix of textured and smooth red glasses. The shade is shown on the distinctive Osage Pottery base.

14" Daffodil on Mushroom Base

This week we completed a 14" Daffodil for a local client. If it appears that we have been showing a lot of these shades lately, it is because we have had multiple orders for this design from different clients. Sometimes these things go in runs, and each of the lamps has been approached fresh with individual color choices. This shade is light and bright with sunny flowers.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Dogwood

This 22" Dogwood shade was created as a showroom piece in 2001. It was purchased by a local client to use as a chandelier over her dining room table. In 2011, we retrofitted the shade to become an inverted chandelier when the client moved to a new home. The white, pink, and green tones of the shade give the piece a light, airy look.

Tudor Window Project

This set of three windows was recently commissioned by a local client for a bathroom in their Tudor-style home. Illustrating subjects chosen by our clients, each of the four pictorial insets were hand painted and kiln fired by Bill Campbell. The insets provide the opportunity to create your own story while soaking in the tub!

 

Lamp of the Week: 16" Dogwood

The 16" Dogwood shade is covered with mature blossoms. This piece has a subtle coloration of light pinks, blues and greens. The shade is shown on the Flower Petal base. Both shade and base were created at Century Studios in 2001 for our showroom and are in a local collection.

16" Fish

The 16" Fish shade is one of our favorite Tiffany Studios shade designs. The shade shows a school of five Koi gently swimming in a pond, weaving amongst plant life. With their elegant swirling bodies and filigreed fins and tails, the fish form a rhythmic design across the surface of the shade. In many cultures, Koi symbolize good fortune, success, and prosperity. Koi come in different colors, each with its own meaning. Yamabuki, or Golden Koi symbolize riches, wealth and prosperity. We have created this lamp for our showroom and it is currently available for purchase in our studio.

When creating a shade for our showroom, we look to our library of glass for color inspiration and challenges. Sometimes, as is the case with this shade, we will select a piece of glass that we would not normally associate with a particular shade design. For this Fish, we began our glass selection by choosing an unusual piece of golden yellow ripple with deep red swirled into it. This glass became the the backdrop for the various green water plants. The Koi were then cut from a sheet of subtle yellow/green glass that had an undercurrent of peach. The completed shade has a warm, golden tone that radiates a tranquil glow. The shade is shown on the highly detailed Cereus base.

Lamp of the Week: 20" Poppy

One of our most popular lamp patterns is the 20" Poppy. The scale of the shade allows it to be used as a table lamp, chandelier fixture, or small floor lamp. Commissioned in 2005, the red and yellow flowers on this shade are set against a colorful blue background. Adding to excitement of this design are the pierced metal filigrees on the flower centers and leaves. The shade is shown on the elegant Lion's Foot base.

20" Dragonfly

Dragonfly lamps were always Tiffany Studios most popular designs. These distinctive patterns are available in multiple shapes and sizes. Since the pattern is somewhat abstract - dragonflies flying above an unspecified background - the color combinations for these shades is unlimited.

The multicolored background of this 20" Dragonfly was cut from a five color, granite textured glass, resulting in a glowing shade which shifts in color several times from top to bottom. The lighter green and blue dragonflies dance across the jeweled surface of the shade, hovering above the deep blue accent borders.

The shade is shown on the Twisted Vine base and was commissioned by a Midwest client.

Window of the Week: Proserpine

In Greek and Roman mythology, the goddess Proserpine was carried off to the Hades by Pluto, who married her despite her love for Adonis. When her father Ceres begged Jupiter to return his daughter to Earth, he agreed provided that she had not eaten any fruit in the Underworld. Since Proserpine had eaten six pomegranate seeds, she had to remain in Hades for six months each year, symbolizing the changing seasons.

Inspired by an 1874 painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Rossetti painted eight versions of this image), we created Proserpine as a showroom piece in the early 1990's. Proserpine was the first of many windows we have made over the years inspired by Pre-Raphaelite paintings.

14" Daffodil

Daffodils were Louis Comfort Tiffany's favorite flower, so it comes as no surprise that there are many Tiffany daffodil shades in multiple sizes and shapes. The 14" Daffodil is the smallest of the various daffodil shade designs we create. Our client requested a vibrant color palette with sunlit daffodils against a blue sky. The rippled border glass enlivens the lower portion of the shade.

This lamp was commissioned by a client in England, and they chose the delightful Penguin Foot w/Arms base to support the shade. This compact base has four cast bronze arms and a single light.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Greek Key

Used throughout ancient Greece as a decorative element on architecture, clothing and weaponry, the "Greek Key" motif actually predates the Greeks. The design can be found adorning Egyptian tombs, ancient Peruvian weaving, Chinese buildings, and on Aztec sculpture. It was the Greeks however, who made the design their own. As a symbol of infinity and unity, it is a motif that can look classic and modern, and is still a major design element in decorative arts and furnishings today.

Tiffany Studios created several sizes of stained glass shades with the Greek Key motif. The large 22" Greek Key shade can be used as a table lamp, chandelier or on a floor base. We created this example for a client in Virginia in 2009, and it was the last project we finished at our former studio in downtown Minneapolis. Once completed, we started packing everything up to move to our current St. Paul location.

20" Dragonfly

Commissioned by an out of state client, this 20" Dragonfly lamp has the fiery warmth of burning embers. The shade is shown on the elegant Decorated Trumpet base.

The background for the shade was cut from textured green and red glass made in the late 1990's. The dragonflies have amber wings, red/orange bodies, and glowing green/amber eyes. The deep red and green glass "jewels" that dot the upper background of the shade were created at our studio.

Lamp of the Week: 17" Bat

Especially appropriate at this time of year, the 17" Bat shade is one of Tiffany Studios more unusual lamp designs. The shade features three overlapping bats flying against a night sky. The cast bronze bodies, heads and "arms" of the bats give the shade a three dimensional look. This example was commissioned in 2006 and is shown on the Mushroom base.

Fire Screen

New to our showroom is this stained glass and metal Fire Screen. The freestanding screen has a custom-made, wrought iron framework which supports a hanging stained glass panel. The screen is 29" wide, with an overall height of 29".

The glass panel features 60 pressed glass tiles and 10 pressed turtleback tiles along the lower edge. The tiles and turtlebacks are pressed in gold glass using molds taken from original Tiffany Studios examples. Each "jewel" has a gold lustre surface. The glass framework between the tiles is also made from gold lustre sheet glass, giving the panel a golden look when illuminated and a multicolored surface color in reflected light.

The design on each square tile is a stylized five petal flower which is pressed into the surface. Each tiles is approximately 1/2" thick, giving the stained glass panel a three dimensional surface that changes when viewed from different angles.

This unique Fire Screen is currently on display in our showroom and is available for purchase.

Lamp of the Week: 24" Parasol

At Century Studios, we create reproductions of Tiffany geometric shades in a multitude of shapes and sizes. One of the largest geometric shades we offer is the 24" Parasol. The simplicity of the 24" Parasol shade is accentuated by the flat metal rim which underlines the shade. At 29" in height, the Ribbed Lotus base creates a tall, elegant lamp. This lamp was created as a showroom piece in 2007 and is now in a private collection in Maine.

A Few Recent Projects

At Century Studios, have been having a busy Summer and Fall season with lots of commissioned projects, both large and small. Several recently completed works:

This set of three windows was created as cabinet doors for a local client. The stylized roses were inspired by Arts & Crafts tiles used in the remodeled home.

Another local remodeling project now features one of our 18 Light Lily Chandeliers over the dining table. Shown in our showroom, we create these distinctive fixtures at our studio.

A Southern client ordered a Swamp Flower lamp base for a shade they commissioned earlier in the year.

We have created many unique stained glass suncatcher panels as wedding gifts over the years. Commissioned by a New York City client for friends, this panel was presented on the first anniversary of their wedding and incorporates themes and images from the couple's ceremony and program booklet.

Lamp of the Week - 16" Acorn Chandelier

Century Studios creates over 150 different reproduction Tiffany lamp patterns, and almost all of these designs can be used as chandelier fixtures. We created this 16" Acorn shade as an inverted chandelier fixture for our showroom in 2009. We make the fixtures in our studio, so the length can be adjusted to fit. Inverted chandelier fixtures cast fill light up across the ceiling, creating indirect light for a room. This fixture is now in a private collection.

24" Peony Border

We recently completed a 24" Peony Border shade for a client. The shade features an abundance of peony flowers in full bloom set against a geometric background.

The generously sized shade has a band of flowers in lovely tones of red, pink and white set against the warm, pinkish/amber background. The background of the lamp was cut from old-stock Oceana glass which is no longer available. The fresh mixed greens of the leaves add fullness to the look of the floral border.

This shade is usually seen on the impressive Sr. Floor base, but our clients ordered it as a large table lamp. It is shown on the Perforated base.

Mosaic of the Week: The Kiss

At Century Studios, we are often asked to adapt a client's favorite painting into a glass piece. In 2008, we were commissioned by a couple in New York City to create a piece inspired by The Kiss, which was painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907/08. The Kiss was created during Klimt's "golden age",  when he would incorporate gold leaf on surface of his paintings. Creating this image as a mosaic rather than a stained glass window allowed us to use iridescent lustre glasses which gave the work a shimmering, reflective surface. Small iridized jewels dot the surface of the mosaic giving the mosaic a three dimensional look.

16" Daisy

Commissioned by a client in Nevada, this 16" Daisy has a cheerful color palette that shows the lively flowers against a sunset yellow/orange background. The shade is shown on the distinctive Greek Urn Base.

Century Studios Preservation Award

The Donaldson Mansion on Mount Curve Avenue in South Minneapolis is a historic home that was built in 1906 by the founder of Donaldson's Department stores. The home featured details and special appointments by a variety of noteworthy design firms. Tiffany Studios provided some of the fixtures and a stained glass bay window in the living room.

Unfortunately, a former owner had dismantled and sold many of the unique features of the home (Barbra Streisand purchased the impressive stained glass Tiffany Studios dining room chandelier at auction. It has since been resold). The current owner of the home spent over a decade restoring the home using many local artisans, including Century Studios.

These restoration efforts and attention to period detail have been rewarded with a Preservation Award. Along with the home's owner, Century Studios has been named in the award as one of the firms employed to restore the former glory of the home. The home will also be featured in the upcoming book Preserving Our Grand Homes: Minnesota's Own. To learn more about the book and see a short video about the restored home, go HERE.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Laburnum

With just under 2000 individual pieces of glass, the 22" Laburnum shade is one of our most complex reproduction shades we offer. The naturalistic look of the shade is accentuated by irregular lower border. The rich golden yellow tones of this shade are enhanced by a delicate blue background glass. Shown on the popular Twisted Vine base, this lamp was commissioned in the mid 1990's by a client in St. Louis, MO.

The Laburnum blooms in the spring and is commonly known as the "Golden Chain Tree". Laburnum wood is used for cabinetmaking and inlay work, as well as for musical instruments.

20" Daffodil

The 20" Daffodil cone has long been a favorite lamp pattern. With its inverted flowers, the design has a unique look amongst Tiffany lamp patterns. Commissioned by a client in California, this 20" Daffodil lamp was created with bold jewel tones and a variety of types of glasses. The shade is shown on the elegant Library Base.

In the photo to the left, the foiled pieces of glass are being transferred onto the waxed lamp form by Irwin. Once the pieces were in place, the shade was ready for soldering and finishing.

Lamp of the Week: 28" Trumpet Vine

The 28" Trumpet Vine is one of the many large reproduction Tiffany cone-shaped designs offered by Century Studios. The glass used to create this shade has an explosion of color and variety. Ring mottled, streaky, fracture and rippled glass make the shade exciting to view from every angle. The glass used for the background of the shade is made from three different fracture/streamer glasses created at our studio, and the color shifts from deep purple to several lighter blue/purple mixes. The shade also has a decorative beaded border, which is commonly found on the 28" cone shades. This shade was commissioned in 2012 by a Midwest client.

15th Annual Arts & Crafts Show

The 15th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale is just around the corner. Century Studios will be exhibiting at the show which runs September 20 & 21 in the Progress Center on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair. Look for our booth at the show!

14" Daffodil

This bright and cheery 14" Daffodil lamp was commissioned by a couple in Texas. The colors for the shade evoke a sunny spring day with fresh greens and yellows against an azure blue sky. The shade is shown on the Penguin Foot base.

Lamp of the Week: 10" Acorn

Tiffany Studios' Acorn design (originally called a Vine Border) appears in a variety of sizes. At Century Studios, we recreate Acorn shades in the 10", 12", 14" 16", and 20" sizes. The 10" Acorn shade, shown here on the delicate Queen Anne's Lace base, works well as a small accent lamp in any interior. We created this shade and base for a client in 2003.

20" Azalea

The 20" Azalea is an unusual Tiffany lamp design. The shade's modified turban shape compliments the densely rendered pattern. The tangle of branches provides the perfect support for the profusion of flowers, buds, and leaves. This design is also unusual in that the solder is sculpted into beads on the surface of the shade to create the flower centers.  This shade was created for a client in Ohio and is shown on the distinctive Root base.

 

Lamp of the Week: 18 Light Lily Table Lamp

A milestone in the history of lighting design, Louis Comfort Tiffany introduced the Lily Table Lamp in the 1890's and showed the world what could be created with an electric light bulb and some imagination. This illuminated sculpture is inspired by a cluster of water lilies, with the lustre glass flowers nodding gently above the bronze lily pads and buds. Even the light bulb was incorporated into the design, forming the stamen of each blossom.

At Century Studios, our cast bronze Tiffany Lily Lamp reproductions are created in our studio using molds taken from an original example. We offer these distinct table lamps in 7, 10, 12 & 18 light versions.

Lamp of the Week: 18" Cobweb

The 18" Cobweb shade is one of Tiffany Studios earlier, more elaborate shade designs, with only three original examples are known to exist. The shade features flattened areas which showcase the spider's webs, cast metal branchwork, and even a spider lying in wait. The painstaking custom glass mosaic work on the Wheat Mosaic Base was done at our studio specifically for this shade. The lamp is now in a private local collection.

Hours This Week

Century Studios Hours This Week:

Tuesday & Wednesday  10:00 am - 5:30 pm

Thursday through Monday  CLOSED

We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday August 12

16" Arrowhead

The newest addition to our line of stained glass shades is the 16" Arrowhead. This shade is a Century Studios variation on the Tiffany 14" Arrowhead shade.

The original Tiffany 14" shade design curves back under itself at the lower portion of the shade, creating a compact shade. Our 16" Arrowhead flares straight out, giving the shade a more angular appearance, which works well with the pattern.

Commissioned by a local client, the shade is shown on the highly detailed Mushroom base.

Lamp of the Week: 16" Apple Blossom

The 16" Apple Blossom shade is an elegantly rendered Tiffany Studios pattern with a strong Japanese influence. Created in 2008, this lushly colored example features jeweled flower centers. Bill hand chipped thick pieces of amber glass until they were the size and shape needed for each center. This unusual technique, in conjunction with the rippled leaf glass, gives the lamp shade a three dimensional look. The shade is shown on the Lily Pad - Blown Glass & Bronze base.

New from Bur Oak Pottery

Century Studios has a new flock of Wally Birds from Bur Oak Pottery in Wisconsin. These delightful creatures are a welcome addition to our every changing grouping of one-of-a-kind, quirky pieces from this pottery.

Wally Birds were first created in the late 19th/early 20th Century by the famed Martin Brothers Pottery in England. Our birds are hand crafted in stoneware and sit upon hand turned, wooden bases - just like the originals. The pieces are fired in a wood-fired kiln and feature unique salt glazed finishes. With their removable heads, the are the perfect place to stash that little bit of birdseed you don't want anyone to find.

The newest members of our flock include:

Boris - Poised for the starring role in his next classic motion picture, this bird is ready for his close-up.








Blue Bird - This bird is ready to spread happiness, if you leave some birdseed out on the window sill.









Vicious Bird - With his hooked beak and gleam in his eye, this bird should be kept in sight at all times.

Sea Creature/Star Man Jar - This unusual creation is directly referenced from an original Martin Brothers piece. The grinning head of this grotesque creature removes so you can store prized objects inside.

We also have several other birds in our showroom.