Holiday Hours

Century Studios will be closed from Saturday December 24 through Monday January 2. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday January 3.

Lamp of the Week: 18" Poinsettia

The 18" Poinsettia is a generously proportioned shade featuring a wide band of poinsettia flowers. The upper portion of the shade has unusual trellised borders. This example, commissioned in 2013, has the vibrant plants set against a deep cobalt blue background. Several greens were employed to give the trellis added interest. The shade is shown on the elegant Budding Urn Pottery base.

One Week Until Christmas

December is always a busy month at the studio and we have been working on several projects the past few weeks. One that we just completed is this 7" Geometric shade in rich amber with a lively blue accent row. A local client commissioned this shade for their antique lamp base.

 Studio Hours

It is one week until Christmas and Century Studios will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 5:30pm. We will be closed Saturday December 24 through Monday January 2.

Lamp of the Week: 26" Poinsettia

This 26" Poinsettia is a large, colorful shade that features lush red and green poinsettia flowers against a rich golden background. The shade makes an impressive chandelier fixture or can be used as a floor lamp on the Sr. Floor of Bamboo Sr. Floor bases. This lamp was commissioned in 2005.

25" Mandarin Lotus

The 25" Mandarin Lotus shade is a uniquely shaped Tiffany shade. Many Tiffany lamp designs were inspired by water plants, and this pattern emulates the large round leaves of the lotus plant. The pattern of the lead lines takes its cues from the veining in the leaves, and the three dimensional accordion pleat surface brings the pattern to life.

For this exciting shade, a rich amber tone was chosen that shifts in density from the top of the shade to the bottom, eventually blending into a pale yellow glass at the lower edge. The subtle shift is accentuated through the density and mottling in the glass, and careful modulation of the accent color at the edge.

Once the shade is cut, foiled, and fit to the lamp form, the long process of soldering the shade begins. Gravity compels hot solder to run downhill, so the pleated surface of this shade creates soldering challenges that don't usually occur. The shade must be placed at many different angles to allow the solder to flow and bead properly. The inside of the shade is also carefully soldered in the same way.

Once the shade has been soldered, each rib is accentuated with hand applied wire work. This is a painstaking process, where copper wire is attached to each rib. Each lead line and tacked wire is then gone over again to ensure a gentle solder bead which evens finishes the look of the rib.

The 25" Lotus has an irregular lower edge which is finished with a half round copper wire. In addition to adding strength to the shade, the bottom wire finishes and smooths out the pieces creating a pleasing visual lower edge.

Commissioned by a local client, the shade is shown on the slender Artichoke Trumpet base. This is a taller, 6 light version of our standard Artichoke Trumpet base. The taller base would be appropriate for this design or the umbrella-like Parasol shade.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Double Poinsettia

The 22" Double Poinsettia shade combines large expressive flowers blooming within a formal trellis. For this shade, we used a variety of light and deep toned reds tinged with blues, purples, and yellows to give the flowers a fanciful, sun dappled appearance. The light blue background glass at the top of the shade deepens to purple and amber. Unifying these colors is the multicolored trellis glass with its hints of blue, amber, and green. The shade is shown on the Perforated base.

Created as a studio piece, this shade can be used as a large table lamp, a junior floor lamp, or as a chandelier. This piece is currently available for purchase in our showroom.

New Wally Birds

We just received several new Wally Birds from Bur Oak Pottery. All pieces by Bur Oak are hand sculpted in stoneware, then fired in a wood fired kiln with a salt glaze. The heads are movable and removable to store treasures inside! Each piece is mounted to a hand turned painted wooden base.

 Eavesdropping Bird - 13" tall - This inquisitive fellow keeps an ear open and leans over to catch everyone's conversations.

 Conspiring Bird - 16" - Plotting and planning come naturally to this large beaked bird. Shady deals are in the works when he is around.

 Confident Bird - 16" - Upright, loyal and true are the watchwords for this balding fellow.

Blue Bird - 16" - With his large rounded beak, this pleasant fellow never misses a meal.

Here are the other members of the flock that are currently available:

Large Owl - 20.5" tall - The grand daddy of them all. This owl is tall, stately, full of knowledge, and ready to share his wisdom with all.

 White Owl - With his snowy plumage, this dapper fellow is sure to stand out in any crowd.

 Contented Bird - 10.5" tall - Happy and at ease with everyone, this sprightly fellow is ready for any adventure that comes his way.

 Leopold - This commanding fellow has a no nonsense attitude to life.

 Sly Bird - 10.5" tall - The petite, quite birds find all the best bird seed.

Cunning Bird - 10.25" tall - This plump fellow knows where all the worms are, but he is keeping this knowledge to himself.

Platypus Jar - 13.5" tall - Not strictly a Wally Bird, this jolly fellow is ready to plunge off his pedestal and go for a swim.

Lamp of the Week: 7 Light Lily Table Lamp

At Century Studios, our cast bronze Tiffany Lily Lamps are created in our studio using molds taken from an original Tiffany Studios example. We offer these distinct table lamps in 7, 10, 12 & 18 light versions. We currently have a 7 Light Lily Table Lamp available in our showroom.

A milestone in the history of lighting design, Louis Comfort Tiffany introduced lily lamps in the 1890's and showed the world what could be created with some imagination and an electric light bulb. 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.