By Barbara Aston-WashThe Knoxville News-Sentinel "People often keep their lamps longer than their furniture," says Skip Ledbetter, whose shop in the Knoxville, Tenn., area sees its share of vintage lamps brought in for repair. "Classic styles never really go out of fashion, but they often need an updating. That may be in the form of rewiring or the selection of a new shade."
In addition to standard rewiring, updating can include dimmers that give full light when needed and mood lighting for atmosphere, he says. Lamps can also take on the 21st-century convenience of being turned off and on by a simple touch, which is perfect for the elderly or others who cannot easily manipulate a switch.
It is the lamp shade that can bridge the years from the time of purchase to today, Ledbetter adds. Chances are that after purchase most of us are not even aware of the shape of the shades our lamps are wearing. They could be out of fashion without our knowing it.
"A close look at lamps used in movies of the 1940s will give you a good idea of what is 'in' for home today," says the lamp expert.
The drum shade that was so chic 22 years ago when Ledbetter purchased the business , now called Calloway's Lamps Shades Gifts Antiques (5714 Kingston Pike Knoxville , TN 37919-6363, Phone: 423-588-0684), is no longer fashionable. It is being replaced , he says, by a skinnier model, a shade that is smaller at the top and flared at the bottom. But as in any fashion collection, there are variations. The "coolie" lamp, suggested by the Chinese "coolie" hat, is more gently sloped. There are rectangles and squares with shaped corners, dictated by the style of the lamp itself.
The lampshade saga is more than just one of shape, however. It is a tale of fabric, trim and fit as well. The framework of a quality shade will be made of brass. You can judge quality of the frame by its heaviness. Light frames found on the inexpensive shade cannot be expected to hold up well, says Ledbetter.
Silk is the mainstay for the more elegant shade styles today. It is dressy and, being translucent, gives off a soft light, and with the proper care can last many years. That care includes removing the clear cellophane from the shade immediately, lightly dusting it periodically and, for quality shades, every two or three years washing in a mild detergent. Woolite is good, according to Ledbetter, who gives an easy-to-follow directive for the task:
Fill the bathtub, swish the shade up and down two or three minutes or until clean , then drain the tub, rinse out well, fill the tub with clean water and swish the shade up and down as you did for washing. Drain the tub again, then refill for a final rinse. Hang the shade in the sun to dry.
Hot summer days are a great time to do this, he says. The heat will cause the silk that might be somewhat stretched to become taut on the frame. If a trim comes loose in the washing process, wait until thoroughly dry, then use Elmer's GlueB. to affix it. The glue will dry clear.
The shade should look as good as when new. Don't be fooled by the fact that a shade doesn't look dirty. Silk not washed has a tendency to dry-rot. Small holes in the shade mean the silk is disintegrating.
Shades are made of a variety of other fabrics--linens, canvas, cotton prints, damasks , heavy parchments, plastic-coated and oil-treated materials, leather, etc. Non- washables among them should be dusted frequently to keep clean.
The big fashion news in lampshades, in addition to shape and fabric, is the trim . Pleating, rope trims and other embellishments such as lace, rosettes and embroideries, even tiny buttons, are showing up on the new lampshades. They are richly appointed, very elegant, and definitely have a dressmaker look .
Since getting a fashionable fit takes trying on, even for a lamp, it is best to take yours with you when shade shopping. The size and the personality of the lamp and where it is to be used must be considered in the selection of a shade as well . A darkly beautiful one that will do well on a reading lamp simply will not add much overall light to a room.
Proportions of shade to lamp are important as well. A shade not long enough to cover the electrical parts amply is unsightly, and a shade too deep or too wide for the lamp makes for an uncomfortably discordant look.
In the marketplace, a shade of the same size and approximately the same shape may vary tremendously in price, from as little as $13 to as much as $235, depending on the quality, materials used and the embellishments.
(Barbara Aston-Wash of the The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn., can be reached at astonwash@knews.com .)
