Whirlpool Window

At Century Studios, we have created quite a few windows and suncatchers based on the artwork John R. Neill created for the Wizard of Oz book series. The series ran from 1900 well into the 1940's and all but the first book were lavishly illustrated by Neill.


At the beginning of The Scarecrow of Oz, L. Frank Baum's Oz book for 1915, the characters Trot and Cap'n Bill are captured by a whirlpool while out boating. This incident starts their series of adventures, leading them to the land of Oz.

John R. Neill drew a vivid image of the Whirlpool, complete with sea nymph rising from the foam. Inspired by this illustration, Bill drew the image up to be made into a stained glass window, which we completed this past week for our showroom.

While Irwin worked on other projects, Bill did the layout and hand painted the figure which was then kiln fired for permanence. The completed window features a wide variety of textured glass, as well as pressed jewels in the upper corners which enhance the three dimensional look of the finished piece.

Lamp of the Week: 16" Daffodil

Light and airy, the 16" Daffodil shade evokes springtime sunshine and gentle breezes. Commissioned in 2009 by a local client, the shade features fracture/streamer background glass and perky yellow flowers which are certain to enliven even the dullest rainy day. The shade is shown on the Lion's Foot base.

Two Showroom Lamps

Two recently completed lamps appearing in our showroom include the 16" Geometric w/Triangle Border and a 10" Turtleback.

The 16" Geometric w/Triangle Border shade is a shade that will fit into any decor. This shade is made using a rose colored glass with an slightly darker decorative border of triangularly shaped pieces. The shade is shown on the Small Stick base and is available for purchase from our showroom.

This bright and lively 10" Turtleback shade was created for our showroom and is now in a private, local collection. The sunny yellow and white background glass has a band of hand cut white/light amber turtleback tiles which were specially made for our studio. The client had a small pottery base which worked perfectly with the shade.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Trumpet Vine

Trumpet Vine flowers come in a variety of colors ranging from the familiar orange, to yellow, scarlet, pink and even lavender. Commissioned in 2007, this 22" Trumpet Vine shade was created with scarlet flowers set against a multicolored background that includes a wide variety of blue, amber, and purple glass. The green foliage enlivens the jewel-like character of the shade. This large shade is shown on the telescoping Library base.

Window of the Week: Magnolia Windows

Created in 2010 for a client in Ohio, this pair of large Magnolia Windows gives the impression of Magnolia trees in full bloom are just outside the windows. The semi-transparent sky glass blocks the view of neighboring homes, while the intricate branch work supports flowers cut from many types of Drapery Glass. This three dimensional glass gives the flowers a lifelike appearance.

After the windows were installed, the client provided us with a photo of the completed pieces in the dining room.

20" Waterlily

The 20" Waterlily shade is a Tiffany Studios' lamp design that evokes the hot languid days of summer. With its proliferation of leaves and blooming lily flowers floating gently on the surface of the shade, the design has a tranquil feel. This is also a shade which can showcase many types and colors of flower glass.

Commissioned by a North Carolina client, this shade changes with each quarter turn, revealing an exciting new color scheme.

The shade is shown on the organic Twisted Vine base. The sculptural quality of the base shows the plant stems reaching up from the bottom of the pool towards the surface.

16" Fern

This pair of 16" Fern shades was commissioned by a client in Boston. The pottery portions for the two lamp bases were created by Ephraim Faience Pottery with fittings by Century Studios. The client requested that we select our glass colors to compliment the glazing on the two bases. The resulting shades are a rich mix of green fronds set against a light to deep amber background.

The 16" Fern is an unusual Tiffany Studios lamp design which is a mix between a naturalistic and stylized pattern. Boldly symmetrical, the shade has a strong graphic sensibility while remaining true to the plant it represents. The emerging curled fiddleheads on the lamp bases anticipate the open fronds on the shades above.