IO 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



January, 1908 



Something About Lamps and Candle Shades 



By Mabel Tuke Priestman 



NE of the most perplexing problems when 

 coming to the end of furnishing the house 

 is that of deciding what kind of lamps to 

 buy. Within the last few years there has 

 been such an improvement in lamps and 

 candelabra that the choice is much more 

 difficult than heretofore, when artistic ones 



could only be found after a diligent search. Ten years ago 



it was the exception to come across a really pretty lamp; but 



to-day the choice of good ones is bewildering, because so 



many attractive novelties are displayed. 



The illustrations show some lamps picked up at random, 



at stores, exclusive and 



otherwise. Thus one 



shows a glass lamp which is 



extremely simple and yet 



fills all the functions for 



which it is intended. The 



irridescent glass shade that 



comes with it is divided by 



bands of brass, resulting in 



an artistic lamp at small 



cost. 



We are all familiar with 



the beautiful Tiffany lamps, 



but few realize what charm- 

 ing little lamps they make 



for reading or desk lamps. 



The first one in the group 



of three is made of dull 



green metal with heavy 



rough cut-glass panels in 



green. This, of course, can 



only be used for electric 



lighting. The second one 



2 — A Group of Reading Lamps 



has a heavily weighted ball, which allows the lamp to be ad- 

 justed at any angle. The green irridescent shade is one of 

 the most beautiful of the Tiffany products, but few of them 

 are found to day, as leaded glass shades are more gen- 

 erally used. The third one shows a bronze lamp for oil. 

 For so small a lamp it gives a wonderfully good light, 

 and is so well proportioned it could not be easily over- 

 turned. The bronze is treated with an acid which makes 

 it a beautiful tone of green. A reproduction of an 

 Etruscan vase is used for the base of the lamp shown in 

 the third illustration. This has a font of brass fitted to it. 

 The vase is made of rough cream clay, and while very decora- 

 tive is quite inexpensive. 

 The shade selected to go 

 with it is one of the new cut 

 brass affairs so popular at 

 the Arts and Crafts Exhibi- 

 tions. The sheets of brass 

 have the design carved out 

 with a jeweler's saw, mak- 

 ing an effective and easily 

 made shade, if the home 

 maker is interested in doing 

 metal work. These shades 

 are usually lined with silk. 

 A yellow silk diffuses the 

 light, while a green converts 

 it more into a reading lamp. 

 The fourth illustration 

 shows another rough clay 

 vase, which has had a font 

 made for it. The shade is 

 somewhat of a novelty, and 

 consists of pieces of leaded 

 glass in three shades of 



1 — Glass Lamp with Glass Shade 

 of Good Shape 



An Etruscan Vase Converted 

 Into a Lamp 



4 — Mosaic Shade and Earthenware 

 Lamp 



