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Author Topic: is this 'opalescent' shade French??  (Read 2224 times)

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Offline Paul S.

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is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« on: March 18, 2011, 08:46:00 PM »
bought this as I thought it was attractive (nothing so sensible as actually using it you understand) - and after my recent faux pas with this type of glass, yes, I do now know that it is definitely 'opalescent' :).      It had three hanging wires attached to the large opening end (now removed)  -  so assume it did hang from a ceiling at some time, with the smaller opening facing downward.       Gorgeous pink, you could almost eat it............  but why the small opening - might a 'pull' cord have hung from this  -  most shades from the period 1920  -  1950 didn't have this 'lower' opening  -  and the 'on/off' was controlled by a wall switch, with the shade being fully enclosed (i.e. proper bowl shapes)  -  or am I wrong on this point.     I can almost picture a Continental parlour maybe, with this piece throwing a delicate shade of light across Madam's  guests. ;)
Anyone like to have a stab at a date of manufacture  -  and is my assumption of French a possibility, or what do people think??

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Offline rosieposie

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2011, 10:41:06 PM »
Hi Paul :hi:, isn't the smaller hole where it was supposed to hang from the light fitting, and the larger hole hung down for the light to shine through?  How was the wire you removed attached?  Did you photograph it before you removed the wire?
Rosie.

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Offline Ivo

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2011, 07:05:37 AM »
the smaller hole where it was supposed to hang from...

unless it's an uplighter of course.

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Offline Paul S.

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2011, 09:04:54 AM »
in fact the wires that I removed were attached around the larger opening, and no, I didn't take a picture before removing. :pb:      Coupled with the knowledge that a very common bowl shape of interior domestic light 'shade' - for much of the period I mentioned - was similar but without the smaller opening  -  has now confused me.        It is not uncommon at boot sales and often at antiques fairs, to see these 'bowl shaped shades' - a sort of left over from the Deco period - from whence I suspect they originated (they often have a 'spatter' type of colour decroration)  -  although the ones I see, don't have this smaller hole.       But, of course, this one may have been converted to hanging the wrong way up by someone who mis-appropriated its use.   Ivo may well be correct, and it might have originally been used as an uplighter, on a table lamp, for example.

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Offline Ivo

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2011, 10:00:34 AM »
i was thinking of gas light, really.  :t:

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Offline Paul S.

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2011, 10:10:42 AM »
sorry, I had overlooked thinking about the source of power  -  and you are probably correct with the reference to gas light.     Am I right in thinking that with gas lighting prior to about 1920, there was often a type of 'chain pull' that hung from the shade, and was used to adjust the brightness  -  or is that something else I have in mind??

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Offline rosieposie

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2011, 10:52:04 AM »
Hi Paul  :hi: My Grandmother had lots of the bowl type art Deco glass lampshades you refer to, and they had holes in the rim to accommodate the chains that suspended them from the light fitting.  However, I think this one was probably, as you suggest, converted to be used in the same way.

It looks so pretty and shell like....I think Ivo's idea of a possible shade for gas light is very interesting and well worthy of following up. 
There was a small chain, usually with a fancy 'pull' to adjust the flow of gas to the mantle (the bit that glowed) so that the level of light could be controlled. 
Now I am reaping the benefits of being an 'oldie' because I remember these!!!
Rosie.

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Offline rosieposie

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2011, 11:02:20 AM »
Paul, please can you measure the diameter of the small hole, as John has looked at your picture and thinks it may be a standard electric light shade, albeit very pretty.
Rosie.

When all's said and done, there's nothing left to say or do.  Roger McGough.

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Offline Paul S.

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2011, 02:07:31 PM »
diameter of small hole is 36mm  -  and thickness of glass at that point is almost 10mm!!      Noticeable that the flange/collar/rim (whatever), on the larger opening, is actually flared/everted  -  as tho designed specifically to prevent anything tied around it, from slipping off. :)

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Offline rosieposie

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Re: is this 'opalescent' shade French??
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2011, 11:41:22 PM »
We (Yes, both John and I,  not the 'Royal we') think it is a normal pendant lampshade....most of these have an outward flared rim which deflects the light into the room and softens or diffuses the light edge.

There would probably need to be a metal flange to protect the glass rim at the small hole side, and reduce the size of the hole to acommodate a normal light fitting.

BTW, I know nothing about lighting..... :usd:

Alternatively, if, as Ivo suggests, it is an uplighter, then the size of the hole and the thickness of the glass are fine.

But it could still be for a Madame's room Paul,  :sun:

I still think it is very pretty and could well be French, there are a couple of similar ones on French eBay at the moment. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190510885680&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I meant to add, that I owe you a thank you, beause in looking through all the pages of glass lampshades on eBay for you, I found a matching shade for our landing light....a glass 1970's really funky one that will match the one in the hall.....hehe!! I have to have glass lampshades because I have asthma, and they don't collect the dust, and are easily washed.....I have been looking for a matching one for yonks!!
Rosie.

When all's said and done, there's nothing left to say or do.  Roger McGough.

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