Posted 12 years ago
dasullywon
(62 items)
Years ago, soon after I started collecting art glass, I went into a shop in Northwood, New Hampshire, and found a very rare signed Lustre Art shade. I don't believe I had heard of Lustre Art at the time, nor did I know the connection of Conrad Vahlsing and Paul Frank (founded Lustre Art on Long Island, NY in 1920) to Quezal, but I recognized quality when I saw it. The shade had a beautiful hooked pulled-feather design, and had a funny little scratched-in signature that was a little hard to read. I soon found out what it was, and I was delighted to find that this glass was made where I grew up (Long Island). This is the sort of connection that often drives collectors on.
Fast-forward to this year. I have searched and searched for a replacement (I sold the original LA shade; it had chips to the fitter) and finally found this item on ebay. I was thrilled to learn that all three shades were SIGNED & PERFECT! Actually there is minor scratching to the inside of the fitters, but let's not quibble. As a bonus I even got somthing to display them on - the lamp is original (as far as I can tell - old Leviton sockets) but I don't think worth very much; but I got three perfect signed shades with it. And the shades! WOW!
Rumor has it they (Lustre Art) almost never signed anything, but I have four examples all signed (I also have a gold vase)- albeit in a similar scrawl but easy to read. So my research shows that they DID sign a fair portion. The unsigned ones are obviously harder to identify, and are almost certainly commonly mistaken for Quezal or Steuben. These are Long Islanders, just like me. Almost like family, huh?
dasullywon : I agree 99% of Lustre Art shades are signed. Now you have to find a Lustre Art vase. Not too many were made. I have one (listed on CW). They are found in gold or blue lustre and are signed on the bottom.
I do have one Lustre Art vase, which I will post later today or tomorrow. It is gold lustre with in a waisted bottle shape similar to one I just saw posted a couple of years ago. I'ts not in top condition (finish) but it is interesting. It is also signed. The shades put it to shame, but it deserves some air-time too I guess. Stay tuned.
Hello from Long Island! Very nice shades & informative history. Must confess, most of it was news to me. Thank you! I just finished rewiring & replacing sockets on a HANDEL table lamp with original HANDEL signed ones (see my last item).
Thanks Harborguy; hello to Long Island! I will check out your post.
Hey, if this doesnt show the connection between Quezal and Lustre Art, I don't know what does. Check out the Quezal shade in this link; and see the zipper pattern is similar but smeared (the two dots). But what a match!
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5585374
(How do you make it a hyperlink again?)