22" Elaborate Peony

 

We have completed the 22" Elaborate Peony shade for our West Coast client. The shade is shown on the elegant Lion's Foot base. This base can be telescoped to be made taller.

With over 1000 individual pieces of glass, the Elaborate Peony shade is a challenging and exciting piece to create. Bill Campbell spent several weeks selecting, cutting and fitting each piece of glass for this complex shade.

The shade consists of three repeated sections with highly detailed interlocking piecework. While some pieces are clearly flowers, leaves, or borders, much of the design can be one thing or the other, allowing the glass artist to showcase exceptional glass choices in an Impressionistic way.

This pattern is often referred to as the Windswept Peony due to the complexity of the design which gives the impression of movement.  The 22" Elaborate Peony is one of Tiffany Studios master piece shade designs and it is always exciting to create one of these lamps.
 

Lamp of the Week: 16" Acorn

 

With its elegant simplicity, the 16" Acorn is a shade that is at home in any interior as a featured or accent lamp. A mottled celadon green glass is used for the body of the lamp. The glass for the acorns is an off-white mixed with light pink (note: this design was originally called a vine leaf on the Tiffany Studios price guides, but the modern name for the shade is Acorn). The shade is shown on the Lummis base (18.5" tall). We created this piece in 2020 and it is currently available for purchase from our showroom.

 

Studio Hours

 

Century Studios will be closed Saturday October 23.

We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday Oct 26.

Lamp of the Week: 17" Bat - 6 Bat Variation

 

The 17" Bat - 6 Bat Variation shade features a cluster of six bats flying against the night sky. This shade is a variation on the 3 Bat lamp. Tiffany Studios created this variation by filling the triangular sky portions at the lower half of the standard three bat shade with additional bat bodies. When viewed from above, the wing tips of the bats are intertwined in a kaleidoscopic effect.. Due to the extra bats, the two stars that appear on the 3 Bat shade are not present in this shade. The shade is shown on the Bat Stemmed Mosaic base (18" tall).  This lamp was commissioned by a client in North Carolina in 2015.

10" Azalea

 

The 10" Azalea is a small, highly detailed Tiffany Studios shade design. The shade is divided by vertical border rows into five sections creating vignettes, each with an explosion of flowers. The crisp greens leaves and velvety red flowers play against the strong blue background. The blue-grey border rows give definition to the shade. The shade is shown on the delicate Dandelion base (17" total lamp height). This piece was commissioned by a client in California.

 

 

 

 

 

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Lamp of the Week: 25" Salamander

The 25" Salamander is one of the more unusual Tiffany Studios shade patterns. The design has a Moorish influence, with the upper third of the lamp containing multiple border rows with repetitive shapes. A wide band with vignettes of salamanders decorates the main body of the shade. Taking inspiration from the legend that salamanders are born from fire, this shade is covered in flames within the decorative borders and flaring from the amphibians themselves.
The deep midnight blue of the background provides a striking contrast to the red, orange, and yellows used throughout the shade. This lamp was created in 2019 for a client in Canada. the shade is shown on the slender Artichoke Trumpet base (tall version with 6 lights, 28" height).

12" Apple Blossom

 

Tiffany Studios created apple blossom shades in many shapes and sizes and the pattern on this 12" Apple Blossom has the look of a mosaic. Commissioned by a client in South Carolina, the turban shape of the shade enhances the flow of the flowering branches. The shade is shown on the Torpedo base (18" total lamp height).

While we are working on shades, the colors shift and change throughout the creative process. Blending different glasses next to one another affects how color is perceived. In the upper photo, one section is laid out on the light table for a final check before foiling begins. Remnants of wax and glass dust are still visible on the glass pieces. In the lower photo, a section of the lamp is partially foiled and the colors appear to deepen and intensify. When finally soldered together, cleaned and patinated, the colors of the shade really come to life.

Lamp of the Week: 22" Greek Key

 

The 22" Greek Key is a generously proportioned shade can be used as a table lamp, chandelier or on a floor base. A symbol of infinity and unity, the Greek Key is a motif that can look classic, yet modern and is still a major design element in decorative arts and furnishings today. The warm amber tones of the shade impart an air of peaceful elegance. The shade is shown on the distinctive Arc base (26.5" tall). We created this example for a client in Virginia in 2009.

This Week At The Studio

 

At this time of year, time seems to be speeding up as summer comes to a close and the month of September flies by in a flash. During the past two weeks, we have been multitasking like crazy. We completed several lamp bases, including two table bases and two Bamboo Sr. Floor bases. We finished a couple of small lamps for clients (we will show them in upcoming posts), and worked on two larger stained glass shades.

The first of the two larger shades we worked on is an 18" Geometric Turban Moorish shade (shown at top). Irwin cuts and fits all our geometric shades and while he concentrated on the 18" shade, Bill did patina work on the lamp bases. Once the 18" shade was completely cut and fit to the form, each row was and put into a separate numbered bag for foiling. After taking a break to do the wiring on the lamp bases, Irwin began foiling the pieces of the 18" shade. When all the pieces are foiled, he will transfer them onto the form and begin soldering the shade.

Patina work completed, Bill began the layout of our next commission, a 22" Elaborate Peony shade. As we steadily work on our respective projects, we are discussing the next pieces we will be creating.