Vermont Craftsman Table Lamp

The Mission Style metal base is the best I can get, heavy and solid, and comes equipped with a three-way turn-knob socket. The base is made in America by Handley Industries, and is beautifully cast and finely finished with an antique bronze patina. The base is U.L. approved. It is vastly superior to the cheap and rough imported castings supplied with the type of mass-market lamps found

When I set out to make the ideal bedside table lamp, I made four design choices. I use Kokomo pale amber cathedral glass for the borders, which I sandblast on the back side, instead of the opal glass that most lamp designers use. This lights up like parchment paper, giving a soft, warm feel and a glowing texture like tiny grains of sand. I use Spectrum solid black glass in the middle for drama, to enhance the other colors and to shield the brightness of the electric bulb placed just behind it. I use glass with swirls of strong mixed color for the big triangles, and can accommodate my clients' choice of color. The two small triangles in each side are chosen to support the color of the large ones. Finally, I use a three-way bulb with 30 watts at the low end for a night-light setting and 100 watts at the high end for reading.

What makes this lamp different from the many "craftsman" style lamps being manufactured today is first of all its simplicity. I see many other lamps made in this style that have too many small pieces of glass, which makes them look busy and not restful.