Tiffany Glass, Marvelous Collectibles
When you think of Tiffany art glass, you might think of words like "beautiful", "exquisite" and "expensive." However, did you know there was a time when Tiffany glass was thrown away. By WWII, many people had thrown away their Tiffany glassware.
Between 1878 and 1933, Louis Comfort Tiffany was so popular that at least one of his vases or glass lampshades appeared in every American home that could afford them. However, tastes change, and what was once a beautiful status symbol became junk. It's ironic that what we now consider marvelous collectibles, and what taught Americans they could by great native-produced art objects, was briefly so out of fashion that it was thrown away.
The high point of Tiffany's career probably occurred in 1883, when he was asked by President Chester Arthur to decorate the White House itself. Tiffany had bronze ceilings, new curtains and carpets, mosaic fireplaces and a hall screen of opalescent glass put in.
Tiffany Lamps
While Tiffany glass is no longer used to decorate the White House, we do understand its value again. One of the most classic and recognizable types of Tiffany glass is his series of lamps. Usually made with naturalistic bronze bases and floral and insect-patterned stained glass, they've caught the imaginations of many. They're highly collectible, and depending on the lamp and its age, can bring a high price, too.
For instance, a single tulip table lamp, with a green and blue shade decorated in red and purple tulips, sold for nearly fifty thousand dollars. A red peony floor lamp sold for sixty-three thousand dollars, and a bronze poppy lamp for twenty thousand. The current market is extremely good for Tiffany lamps, but there are some important criteria for figuring out how much to pay for one, or what price to ask.
The condition of the lamp is important, since each shade is made out of several thousand pieces of glass. The rarity of the lamp and the pattern it's made in will also affect price, and some lamps have better coloration than others. That's an artifact of how they were made - the process of hand making Tiffany glass necessarily produces some pieces that are better.
Tiffany lamp shades have a delightful, warm look when turned on, so most collectors also use their Tiffany glass lamps. They have strong potential to be a good investment, too. Not just rich people can buy Tiffany lamps. For an investment of a few thousand dollars, you could own a basic Tiffany lamp that will only appreciate in value.
Watch Out for Fakes
The important thing to be aware of when collecting Tiffany glass is that there are many reproductions and fakes on the market. Learn all the hallmarks of real Tiffany glass and know that the lamp or other art glass piece you're buying the the real deal. Otherwise, your investment might turn out to be wasted. The good news is that Tiffany produced a lot of glass, so there are still plenty of pieces out there, waiting for the right collector.
Tags: Art Glass, glass, louis comfort tiffany, tiffany art glass, tiffany glass, tiffany glasswareSteuben Glass, Truly American Works of Art
Steuben Glass Works was founded in 1903 in Corning, New York, and was to become one of the most famous American art glass manufacturers, imitated by many others. Experimentation at Steuben produced a large number of interesting colored art glasses, starting with Gold Aurene, a type of iridescent glass similar to that produced by the famous Tiffany glass works.
Gold Aurene was only the first of these magnificent colored glasses, however. It was followed quickly by a large number of other colors and types. Eventually the Steuben Glass Works' range was produced in more than seven thousand different shapes and a hundred and forty colors. From 1903 until WWI, this manufacturer produced amazing glass types.
You can find a large selection of Steuben Glass works of art - Just visit our Steuben Glass Store.
Restrictions during wartime meant that it became hard to acquire materials needed for glass manufacture, resulting in the company being sold to Corning Glass Works, where it became the Steuben Division. However, the company's operation didn't change much, except that Corning attempted to limit articles made by the company only to the most popular lines. However, this was mostly unsuccessful, and production continued as usual until the early 1930s.
Phase Out of Colored Glass
A major management change occurred in 1932. Because of the Great Depression, Steuben glass sales had been limited. The general public was also becoming a lot less interested in colored glass. The management change resulted in the existing Steuben lines being replaced by primarily clear art glass. These lines continue to the present. While colored glass was still being produced to fill special orders, not many new colors were added. The last known colored art glass sale by Steuben was in the early 1940s.
New Glass Formula
In addition to the removal of colored glass from the Steuben production line, the direction forms were taking changed, as well. A new formula of glass that had been developed by Corning was more transparent and had a higher refraction index than just about any other type on the market. It resulted in designs that created a new look. Modernist and Art Deco themes were incorporated into the new pieces, and the transparency and glittering beauty of the new formula were capitalized on.
In the 1950s, a change occurred in the method of making Steuben art glass. Items were no longer cut and engraved, but formed into sculptural shapes. One of a kind decorative items were produced from the 1960s onward, increasing the demand for fine Steuben glass.
One Hundred Years of Operation
Steuben is still producing art glass, and celebrated its hundredth year of operation only a few years ago. It's the premiere manufacturer of art glass in the U.S. In July of 2008, the company was sold by Corning. The buyer was the Schottenstein Stores Corporation. However, production is slated to continue in the old factories, with the same staff. All that's changing is the management. That means that Steuben glass collectors won't have any problem getting their old favorites.
Tags: Art Glass, corning glass, glass, glass manufacture, iridescent glass, steuben, steuben glass worksSimplifying Home Decor by Using Art Glass
September 30, 2008 by Roberta
Filed under Home Decor
We came across this interesting article with some tips for interior design and, it occurred to us that one of the ways to really spice up any home decor scheme is to incorporate a few interesting pieces of art glass. With the almost infinite selection of shapes, colors and textures, whether it's crystal, cranberry glass, carnival glass or hobnail glass, you can find something to add just the right accents to any room.
Important Interior Design Tips
Many people think that interior design is a very complicated and difficult project and it's not possible for them to do it by themselves. That's why so many people pay a so called professional a lot of money to come and help them out.
You do not need a professional to help you at all, you can get lots of ideas from everywhere. All you need to do is spend some time working out how you should incorporate the ideas and make them work in your own home. It's important to spend time coordinating everything so that it all ties together nicely.
When you have a coordinated room then you can start introducing new ideas and designs into your home. Then you have created your own design so don't really need to pay a professional hundreds of dollars to do what you can do for free.
Be Observant
Whenever you are out, wherever you are you should be on the lookout for new exciting ideas that you can use in your home. There are influences for interior design which can be drawn from virtually anywhere. If you actually hired a professional then you might hear them say that they have seen a great idea and think it could work well in this space, if the professionals do it why shouldn't you? Just spend some time looking around and see what you like. If there's something you like consider the possibility of recreating it in your own home.
You can find interior design ideas everywhere, if you see something that interests you then just study it for a few minutes. Decide whether or not this would work well in your home. If you go somewhere that has unique interior design then spend some time trying to work out exactly how they achieved the look. Sometimes very elegant beautiful designs can be created fairly easily.
Getting Inspiration from Other sources
You don't have to settle for what other people have already done when looking for interior design inspiration. You can also draw your inspiration from nature, if you are willing to spend time looking around. You might of seen a tree in the autumn and seen it's true beauty. You might want to create a similar look for your own home.
You will never know what you want until you start being aware of all the influences around you. You can then get down to experimenting on your home in controlled areas so you can decide what works the best. Professionals will also practice before they decide what to do.
Whenever you go out you need to keep your eyes open for new inspiration which might be useful for interior design. From fancy shower curtains to floor designs, ideas can be found anywhere. You don't need to hire an expensive designer to get the job done, you can do it all by yourself if you have enough time and experience.
The Richness of Bohemian Glass
Bohemian glass, also called Bohemian crystal, since the word is the same for both in Czech, is a type of glass made in the regions of Silesia and Bohemia. It's been made there since the thirteenth century - the oldest excavations of glass making sites in Bohemia date to about 1250. They're located in Northern Bohemia, in the Lusatian mountains.
There are a number of notable glassmaking sites, both historical and recent. Bohemia manufactured a lot of outstanding high Baroque glass in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. Bohemia has also been the home of some glass innovations. It was Caspar Lehmann, Emperor Rudolf II's gem cutter, who invented the technique of engraving glass with bronze and copper wheels, much the same as it had been done on gems.
Abundant natural materials, used to make pristine glass, were discovered in the Renaissance in Bohemia. It's been produced since, and you'll find hand cut glassware for sale everywhere in Bohemia. However, you should be careful to check that the glass you're buying is the real thing. Even in the region where Bohemian glass is produced, imports from China and other locations are sold at inflated prices, and aren't as high quality as real Czech glass.
If you pay attention, however, you'll be able to find real, high quality Bohemian glass, from cut glass goblets and bowls to hand decorated ornaments. Most Bohemian glass is decorated intricately, and may be hand-cut and painted, decorated with rhinestones, wheel engraved or plated with gold. You may see these techniques used alone, or in combination. They're the result of a lot of study and skill, since it takes four years of training merely to become glass painter.
The reason that Bohemia is so famous for its glass is due to the natural resources found there. Early on, glassmakers in Bohemia discovered that using local potash and chalk made a completely clear, colorless product that was a great deal more stable than Italian glass of the time. That's when Bohemian glass first was noticed by the European market. Much of this Bohemian glass was lead free, and could be easily cut with a wheel.
Bohemian crystal has been famous for its amazing quality and the delicacy of its ornamentation. By the mid-19th century, Bohemia had a system of glass making training that attracted foreign glassmakers, and began exporting large quantities of colored glass across the globe.
Most of these pieces were mass produced. Commonly, pairs of vases made in one or two colors of opaque glass and decorated in enameled floral patterns were exported. Some were also decorated with lithographs. People in Europe and America mail ordered these inexpensive art pieces for their homes, adding a little touch of beauty.
Even in the Communist period, glassworking remained high quality. That's because the governments considered this art innocuous. Bohemian traditional glassmaking continues into the present day. The area has one of the most respected glassworking school systems there is, and many pieces are exported to other countries. As with most types of art glass that are still being produced, this means that collectors should pay careful attention to what they're buying.
New pieces can closely resemble old ones. While new Bohemian glass is beautiful and collectible in its own right, antique buyers should know what they're paying for. However, that's just one more reason to learn all you can about this beautiful form of glasswork.
Tags: Art Glass, bohemian crystal, bohemian glass, Crystal, cut glass, czech glass, glass, glassmakers, opaque glassVarieties of Fenton Glass, an American Original
The Fenton Art Glass Company was originally founded by two brothers in Ohio in 1905. It originally served as a decorator of other glass makers' work. However, when it wasn't possible to buy the glass needed, they began making their own. In 1906, the factory moved across the river to West Virginia. It first produced glass in 1907.
Fenton art glass produced between 1905 and 1920 tends to bear the influence of Steuben and Tiffany glass, both famous art glass producers at the time. However, Jacob Rosenthal, a famous glass chemist, was responsible for developing the many colors that Fenton glass came in.
Carnival Glass
Fenton was also the first to bring carnival glass onto the market. This iridescent glass became extremely popular and is very collectible. Fenton has produced over a hundred and thirty patterns of carnival glass in its history.
Hobnail Glass, Crests & More
Fenton produced mostly practical items during the Depression and during WWII. That's because there were many shortages and luxury items weren't in demand. However, they kept coming up with new colors. During the 1950s, Hobnail milk glass became the company's most popular line. These are collectible pieces, but they aren't as valuable today as other Fenton art glass. Some lines produced by the company, called "crest" lines, are more valuable. The Ebony Crest line is especially collectible, as are very early Fenton pieces.
Interested in purchasing Fenton Glass online? We offer a huge selection in our Fenton Store.
These pieces are made with an opaque glass base and a clear or colored border ruffle for interest. Clear ruffles are called Silver Crest, green are Emerald Crest, and white and black are Snow and Ebony Crest pieces, respectively.
Fenton Logo After 1974
In the 1970s, the company began adding their logo to the bottoms of some pieces. This helped them be identified from older pieces. Any piece of Fenton art glass made from 1974 onward will have this logo. If a piece was made before this time, it was marked with a paper label. That means that older pieces will usually be unmarked, since the label has likely worn away.
Pieces made during the 1980s will have an 8 added under the logo, and in the 1990s, a 9 was used. Some lines have been produced for many years, resulting in newer, less valuable pieces looking much the same as antiques. That makes identifying valuable Fenton art glass tricky in some cases.
Recently, the Fenton glass company has had difficulties, and planned to stop production in 2007. However, unexpected customer response has allowed them to stay in business longer. They allow visitors to come to their museum and factory, which are still located in West Virginia.
Tags: Art Glass, carnival glass, fenton art glass, fenton art glass company, fenton glass, glass, glass makers, iridescent glass, opaque glass
