It is not unusual to find glass light shade with high value of craftsmanship or antique heritage. Even a functional one such as a bankers lamp shade can have ornamental value. Such shades, when they become old, should be restored or repaired rather than thrown away. The owner should refrain from trying to fix it him or herself, as amateur attempts to piece together the parts results in abrasion of the cracks, or application of glue results in extra work for the restorer. Not all glass lamp shades need to be restored: some can be replaced completely if a glassmaker is willing to undertake the task.

Glass light shades which have no other ornamental bits and pieces such as mica chips, beads or metal frames can be replaced completely. It is not uncommon to find beaded lamp shades. The glass maker attempts to create a replica by a combination of glass blowing, shaping and mimicry. Of course the glass material should be identical or very close to the original. Finding a glassmaker should not be difficult, as many people continue to indulge in this ancient art. The replacement cost is a combination of the skill, complexity and materials required for the job.

On the other hand, a glass light shade cannot be simply replaced especially if it contains parts that are not glass. Some lamps have cemented beads on the outer surface, or individually colored pieces of glass. In case of such complex jobs, it is customary to find a restorer who can spend several weeks working on the piece. Years of experience in the slow, demanding process are needed for restoring delicate art pieces.

The sequence of steps in restoring a glass shade is not uniform and depends strongly on the kind of shade and what sort of damage has been done. The simplest kind of repair may be the replacement of a single piece of glass with a correct colored one. The most complicated repairs entail reconstructing the entire shade starting from an identical shape mold which serves as a scaffold to the reconstruction process. Metallic fold, iron and brass and solder may be needed.

Moreover, a restorer may be asked to fix the nonglass parts of the lightshade. Old beads can be removed and replaced with new ones. The metallic lining of glass panes can be renovated with the same material. For restoring a Tiffany shade it is usually necessary to create a cast of the original shape so that the new pieces have a scaffold upon which to rebuild the lamp shade.

The reason for restoring such shades is that they have value beyond the raw materials of the object itself. For collectors’ pieces, the engraved name of the manufacturer, designer or artist can be worth much more than the functional or material benefits of the shade. Restoration therefore has a strong monetary if not emotional component for most people who own glass light shades.

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