Lamp of the Week: 15" Spider

With its three dimensional arachnid silently resting atop its web awaiting the approach of the unwary, the 15" Spider shade elicits strong reactions from viewers. For this shade, we used a transparent sheet glass created at our studio (we no longer have a glass furnace). The lightly filamented glass perfectly captures the feel of a spider's web. Created in 2003 and now in a private collection, the shade is shown on the Mushroom base (16" tall).

Lamp Bases and Metalwork

Earlier this year, Odyssey Lamp Systems ceased producing their line of reproduction Tiffany lamp bases and metalwork. We have carried the Odyssey line of bases at Century Studios since we opened  in 1986.  With the demise of the Odyssey line, we now manufacture all the bases we offer.

In February 2000, Willy Disselhoff, an independent Tiffany reproduction lamp base maker, retired and the base molds we acquired from Studio Disselhoff became the core of our Century Studios line of metalwork. For the past 20 years we have added to our line of in-house bases using "Willy" molds in addition to making molds of our own.

Our bronze bases are cast using a lost wax process, and hours of hand work are needed to create each individual component. To begin the process, foundry wax is poured into a rubber mold. After hand cleaning the waxes, we take them to a local bronze foundry where each piece is coated in a ceramic shell mixture that hardens to create a new mold. The "shell" is heated, the wax melts out, and molten bronze is poured into each mold. Once cooled, the ceramic shell is broken away to reveal the raw bronze part. Each wax and ceramic shell produces only one piece of bronze which is then hand tooled and finished. Many bases also have spun copper and machined brass elements.

Several of our bases have specialty components, such as illuminated turtleback tiles and hand applied glass mosaic. Making a bronze lamp base often takes as much time (and in some cases more)  as making the shades these bases support.

In addition to our bases, Century Studios is now manufacturing the reproduction metalwork needed to make our shades. We have made these parts available to other lamp makers.

 Recently, we have completed many lamp bases for our showroom and for client commissions. We sell bases separately from shades, and bases may be ordered individually. All of our reproduction lamp bases are pictured on our website: http://www.centurystudios.com/gallery/more/lamp-bases

Lamp of the Week: 24" Snowball

The 24" Snowball is one of Tiffany Studios' most creative shade designs. Covered in leaves and large flowers, the design encourages unexpected glass choices. Set against a lightly textured sparkling blue sky, a wide variety of off white and cream colored glasses are mixed with amber and green tones for the flowers. Emphasis is given to greens in the leaves with amber and cream being used as the accent color. The irregular lower edge gives the shade a natural look. This generously proportioned shade can be used as an oversized table lamp, but was originally designed for use as a floor lamp or chandelier fixture. We created this example in 2012 and it is in a private local collection.

17" Bat Lamp

Tiffany Studios introduced the Bat Lamp around 1903 and only four original examples of this most unusual lamp are known. While Western culture often presents bats as harbingers of evil, Japanese culture associates bast with happiness, a long healthy life and wealth, while Native American Culture view bats in a spiritual light, symbolizing acute powers of perception, rebirth (emerging from and returning to their cave or womb nightly), and journeying.

The 17" Bat shade has three bats flying against a clear, starry night sky. The rich deep amber tones of the bats are set against a brilliant deep blue glass with hints of purple streaked throughout. The bodies of the bats are accentuated with cast bronze overlays. The unusual lobed shape of the shade adds visual interest.

We are pleased to introduce the Bat Mosaic base, which was designed by Tiffany Studios specifically for this shade. The base is cast in bronze at our studio and is finished with hand applied glass mosaic.

Following the design of the shade, the base has three bats in flight at the against a glass mosaic sky. The glass mosaic in the base is cut and fit by hand using reflective blue lustre glass with a purple tinge in the iridized surface that perfectly compliments the sky glass used in the shade.

This Bat Lamp is currently in our showroom and is available for purchase.

Lamp of the Week: 28" Dragonfly

The 28" Dragonfly (flying diagonal) is a Tiffany shade design full of energy and excitement. The swirling dragonflies dance across the jewel encrusted surface with rhythmic precision. Created in 1996, this shade is made almost entirely out of Lins glass with pressed glass jewels by Century Studios. Inspired by the sheets of glass, the color pallet of the shade is a lively mix of greens, purples and deep red tones. Intense blue in both the glass and jewels is used as an surprising accent color throughout the piece. The shade is in a local collection.

16" Dogwood

The 16" Dogwood is a bright, cheerful shade design covered in large open flowers. Pink and white flowers tinted with purple and cream are set against a fresh blue sky. The use of mottled glass throughout the piece gives the shade a sun dappled appearance. The shade is shown on the elegant Lummis base. This lamp was commissioned by a client in South Carolina.

Lamp of the Week: 16" Turtleback

Turtleback shades are a unique category of Tiffany lamp that were created in an endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors. This 16" Turtleback shade  is made with a mottled green glass that is mixed with cream tones. The turtlebacks in the band are hand cut and faceted from the large 4" x 6" tiles which are also used in the base.

Commissioned in 2016 by a couple in Illinois, this 16" Turtleback shade is shown on the distinctive Square Turtleback base. The base is cast in bronze at our studio using molds taken from an original Tiffany Studios example and is illuminated from within. 

25" Mandarin Lotus

The 25" Mandarin Lotus lamp is a striking Tiffany Studios design. The shade represents the large saucer shaped leaf of a lotus plant floating on the surface of a pond. The base represents the slender stem of the plant tethering the plant floating on the surface to the pond's bed. True to Tiffany's design philosophy, the "leaf" is presented life size, and each lead line represents the veins of the leaf.

The large flat shade has an accordion pleated surface with 24 sections that divide and multiply toward the irregular lower edge. Every piece of glass in the shade is beveled to accommodate the pleat and reduce the lead line at the peak.

Each pleat in the shade is accentuated by a hand applied copper wire that is soldered in place. These wires begin at the top and continue to the lower edge. As the section divides, additional wires are positioned until the apex of every pleat is enhanced. With the accordion pleats, the wire enhancements, and the irregular lower edge, the Mandarin Lotus shade is one of Tiffany Studios' most unique shade designs.

Like the shade it supports, the Mandarin Lotus base (29" tall) has a distinctive flair. The large flat pad reflects the shape of the shade and stabilizes the lamp. The base ascends from a stylized plant bulb with a slender stem that divides to form a cage around the six light cluster.

This lamp was commissioned by a client in Florida.

Lamp of the Week: 16" Poppy

The 16" Poppy is one or Tiffany Studios more popular shade designs. This compact floral features delicate filigree overlays on the leaves and flower centers. The flowers are rendered in a fuchsia pink glass that has tinges of blue mixed throughout. The same blue tone is more predominant in the background. The bold green leaves provide contrast for the shade. This piece was made in 1993 and is shown on the Flower Petal base. It is in a private collection.