Lampshades, Then and Now

In 1885, Louis Comfort Tiffany opened the Tiffany Glass Company signaling a new era in upscale decorative glass. Tiffany would come to be associated with dramatic and colorful leaded glass lamps and glass dome shades. Many lampshades at that time were made to order using fine silk material in the hands of skilled crafts people. Those custom silk shades sold for as much as $20 at the time.

People of modest means made do. A short item in The Montreal Daily Post of February 24, 1985 reads, "A very pretty new lampshade is made of a bright silk handkerchief with a hole in the middle and shirred around the top. Tassels are hung from the four corners, and four hang from the top over the sides."

The lower edges of elegant shades were decorated with deep fringe and corded trims. An article in The Pittsburgh Press on May 25, 1902 reported that glass beads were the newest fashion trim for lampshades.

Over the years, mass production made high style lampshades more available and more affordable. Silk remained a popular choice for fabric lampshades. There was also lampshades made from parchment, glass, crepe paper, rayon, and more. Lampshade covers became popular during the Depression and World War II as money was tight and replacement shades were difficult to find. By 1948, there were kits to make replacement lampshades at home in the exact fabric that would work well with the existing décor of the homemaker.

Various shapes for lampshades have been created over time. Most shapes include a smaller opening at the top. Sometimes the lower edge is scalloped or cut with V-shaped notches.

The drum shade features sides that are straight up and down with equal sized openings at the top and bottom. A rectangular shade can have square sides or "cut corners" that add four more side surfaces to the shade. Square shades are also seen with square sides or cut corners. There are oval shades and empire shades, each designed to compliment a specific lampshade and style.

There are lampshades called "umbrella", "coolie", and "bell" that mimic the shape their name suggests. The umbrella shade has a straight collar at the top and opens to the hoop-skirt shape of an open umbrella. The coolie shade calls to mind the Chinese worker hat, although some of the coolie shades are very high style and have cut corners, fringed edges, pleated and shirred material, or deep bands on the lower edge.

Today, many lampshades are considered throw-aways. If they become dirty or water spotted, they are discarded and replaced. It is sometimes possible to clean and reuse these throw-away lampshades.

Cardboard shades can be wiped clean but not washed. There is no supporting structure to the non-fabric covered shades. There is only a wire at the top and bottom of the shade and tape to attach the cardboard to the wire forms.

Fabric covered shades that are dirty or smoke stained can be soaked in a soap and water solution, carefully rinsed, and quickly dried in full sun, with a blow dryer, or with fans to prevent rusting of the frame. Some people report success using white bread that has been kneaded into the shape of a ball as an eraser. Routine dust can be removed with a lint roller, baby wipes, a small (clean) paint brush, microfiber cloth, or the brush attachment on the vacuum cleaner.

If the lampshade is made from plastic, plastic coated board, parchment, or fiberglass, it can usually be washed with a sponge or cloth dipped in soapy water and wrung almost dry. Be especially careful of taped edges and seams. The tape is probably made from paper and will come off if it gets wet.

If the lampshade is constructed with fabric glued to a cardboard backing, it can not be immersed in water. Try the bread eraser or the lightly damp sponge methods.

If replacing a non-fabric lampshade is not an option, consider disguising the shade by painting the outside surfaces or gluing on tissue paper or decorator napkins in the style of decoupage. Sometimes the shade can be saved by painting the inside with a gold colored paint. Consider using fabric paint and a foam stamp to create a pattern on the shade that covers the stained areas. If the shade is white or beige, try gluing new fabric over the shade and fresh tape around the edges.

For the small shades that are used on candle lights or chandeliers, be sure any paint you use is rated for lampshades and does not create a fire hazard.

For people interested in learning how to recover a lampshade frame with fabric, there are several books available. One is by Judy Lake and Kathleen Hackett who wrote The Lampshade Lady's Guide to Lighting Up Your Life: 50 Custom Lampshades and Lamps (ISBN-13: 978-0307452320), Potter Craft, 2009. For the stained glass artist, Hugh Archer wrote Making Tiffany Lamps: How to Create Museum-Quality Authentic Reproductions (ISBN-13: 978-0811735957), Stackpole Books, 2009, with instructions and inspiration. For anyone interested in recreating the look of the elegant shades of the past, Lampshades How To Make Them by Olive Earle is a good choice. Published in 2009 by BiblioLife (ISBN-13: 978-1110393404), Earle's book is a reprint of the 1921 edition.

Custom-made lampshades are still available at retail. Check the yellow pages of your phone book. If there are no listings, ask at the local lamp or lighting store. Call a seamstress or tailor and see if they or someone they know works on lampshades. Or try the local upholstery store for a referral.

Sources
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf197959.tip.html
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/lampshade
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/heloise/cleaning/lamp-shade-cleaning-jul05