Shades for home lighting are an important part of modern home decor. Antique shades first came out of the 1790 gas lighting revolution, and underwent several evolutionary changes since. In more modern times, the business of buying and selling antique items has undergone some amazing growth, in no small part because of websites like eBay and iGavel.com. These websites act like middlemen for auctioneers and bidders, allowing both to conduct a transaction from their own office or home. The combination of these facts suggests that getting an antique shade for one’s home can be a sound financial investment.

Unlike many other kinds of furniture, buying a valuable antique lamp shade may accrue returns over time as the antique ages. The two best examples are the Victorian gas shades that have been popular since the early 1800s, as well as the stained glass shades made by the Tiffany design company. An understanding of these and other styles will help one pick out the best investment that is also most compatible with one’s existing home decor.

Victorian style shades can be traced back to the late 1700s when gas was first harnessed for its ability to power a light source steadily and continuously. Simultaneously across Europe (England, France and Germany) several inventors came up with designs and prototypes that featured working gas lights. Quickly following they were incorporated into street, factory and home lighting. The gas shade style was characterized by a dome structure enclosing the flame and a venting hole or cylindrical structure to release heat and errant gases.

When gas-fired flames were used as a light source, the chimney style lamp shade was quite popular. An offshoot of this were the hurricane shades. Both exhibited tall clear glass that enclosed the flame to protect it from the window and funnel fresh air in to keep the combustion smooth.

Victorian shades also came in other shapes such as the hurricane shade or the dome shade. The exterior surface of the glass lamp shades were invariably decorated with ornate and intricate designs, oftentimes acid etched to produce a frosty appearance. The one constant is that the gas shades had a top opening for dissipating the gas and heat. Nowadays of course, the shade would be used with electrical bulbs making the hole merely decorative.

In the early 1900s, glass lamp shades designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany became a sensation in the design world. Tiffany came from a long family of designers, his father having started the famous jewelry store that now bears their name. He was claimed to have been inspired by the craftsmanship of old church windows that blended scenes outlined with iron rods and then colored with stained glass panes.

While Tiffany created a large number of his glass lamp shades that bear his name today, there’s also no end of a shortage of imitation products which are often denoted by the description “Tiffany-style”. Connosieurs may wish to pick up an authentic Tiffany, but will find them in extreme short supply. Some of them are even displayed in museums.

Glass lamp shades are good pieces for attracting attention and for being a topic of conversation. Many will find that the decor of a room can be centered around it. However, finding an antique shade can be quite expensive. The key element to keep in mind is that the antique retains value over time. The antique market does operate on cycles, but the history of antique shades has taught us that they have tremendous enduring value as long as we continue to illuminate our homes with such technology.

Niche detail resources on glass lamp shade are available. Uncover the latest information and writings in regards to purchasing chimney glass shades.

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