Topic: Does anyone know anything about opalescent lampshades?

[Della]

Hi All,

I bought this today, out of curiosity really. I don't know the first thing about opalescent glass, let alone lampshades. 


Click to enlarge.

Does anyone have any idea as to when this kind of shade dates? I have been googling for opalescent lamshades, but I can't find any of just this one colour.

It did come with a fitting (for hanging), but I am not sure if it would be original to the piece.

All information will be very gratefully received.
TIA
Della
x

[Pinkspoons]

I have something similar. I was told it was a gas lamp shade, c.1880. Probably German.

[Della]

Ooh, that old! I am surprised it survived, it is so thin and fragile.

Thanks, Nic 

[Pinkspoons]

I think it's because a lot of them were used as ceiling lights after the advent of electricity, and many are only now being taken down....

Mine is currently in use in the downstairs WC. 

[Frank]

Gas lamp shades of this style were still being made in the 1930's. Almost impossible to date. Mostly the smaller ones were for gas lamps but there were some fittings for electric lights the used such size shades. They only covered the bottom part of the bulb to hide the fitting - generally shades were not used with electric bulbs because the bulbs cost so much money that it was important that your visitors could see your wealth. Some bulbs even had the shade built in http://www.debook.com/Bulbs/vvg/vvga7.htm

They were made everywhere. Shades for electric lighting grew more popular as the cost of bulbs started to come down after, say, 1910.

[Della]

I saw one of those bulbs, last week in Nijmegen. I thought that it was really different, a light bulb that actually looked like a shade.

The shade that I have is really quite small, more like a shade for a small table/wall lamp than a ceiling lamp. Having said that, I have no idea (shameful, I know) of what sort of sizes of shade were used for what.  Although, it is an ideal size for a small lwater closet, under the stairs.