BASES
Carol Conti: Randy, first of all, ASGLA members around here prefer Odyssey because their bases are exact Tiffany reproductions in every respect. Without fail, you can depend on excellent craftsmanship, patina and castings. When we can't afford Odyssey bases - which is a lot of the time - Classic American is next on our list. These bases are not exact reproductions, but are wonderful to use for a lamp (especially the Cattail - but not their stupid looking stick base!) Once in a while a patina is not that great. Both these companies stand behind their work. In general, most Source One bases look pretty good with our lamps but they are definitely not exact reproductions. They have a good selection, but you should be aware that some bases have a clunky thick bottom ledge. Some patinas aren't that great and have to be "touched up" and some bases that we received had to be exchanged because the castings were lopsided or the arms weren't level. However, this company is very cooperative in our dealings with them.Their bases are made in China.
Danny Laberge: re: cast metal bases I found my book that lists the foundries. The book can be purchased from Artesia Press, P.O. Box 21, Springfield, Oregon 97477, 503-746-0094. The title to the book is: "The Directory of Art Bronze Foundries". Walt: I also found the book on patinas. Title: "The Art of Patinas". This book can be purchased from the Artesia Press. It lists lots of methods for putting patinas on bronze. Most of the patinas are for using some sort of flame, so it would not be good for a lamp, but would be great for bases. . Some of the foundries for the central Atlantic Coast are: 1. Art Bronze & Mfg. Co. 500-37th Street Pittsburgh, PA 15201 412-621-1550 2. Art Research and Technology, Ltd. 3050 Industry Drive Lancaster, PA 17603 717-299-9333 Owners: Becky Ault and Mike Cunningham 3. Baut Studio Foundry P.O. Box 145 Wilkes Barre, PA 18704 717-288-8334 Contact: Gerhard Baut 4. Hamilton Brothers Bronze Art Foundry 319 S. Atlantic Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224 412-441-9301 Contact: Bob LaBobgah 5. Laran Bronze, Inc. 310 E. 6th Street Chester, PA 19013 215-874-4414 Owner: Laurence Welker III 6. Phillips Casting, Inc. 90 E. Church Lane Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-5631 Owner: John Phillips 7. Quality Investment Castings P.O. Box 100 Blandon, PA 19510 8. Weisman Art Foundry 1002 N. American Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 215-925-5513 These are all the listed foundries for PA. Let me know if you are looking for a foundry in another state.
Carol Conti: Making lamp base mosaics: The making of a mosaic for a lamp base is a 6 step process.
Step 1 An existing pattern must be copied or designed to fill the area on the lamp base. In order to scale the design or pattern to fit the required area, architects linen is used to cover the area of the lamp base that will receive the glass tiles. An exact outline of the area to be covered is drawn on the linen after it dries and can then be transferred to paper or any other surface. This approach will work if there are panels (repeats) involved or a continuous design is used. If the surface is highly curved, darts must be used in the pattern or allowance and compensation accomplished during the final glass application process (see below).
Step 2 Knowing the exact dimensions, a previous design can be transferred or scaled to fit or an original drawing executed. Once the area design is executed, colors must be chosen and glass selected. Several copies are made of this pattern - at least one of which is a mylar copy.
Step 3 Opaque mylar (identical to that used for Odyssey patterns) is used to cut templates and is affixed to the glass for subsequent cutting. (Making of a mask prior to glass selection is useful, but it must be realized that light will NOT shine through the glass and so the glass should be chosen for its opaque coloration when light is shining ONTO the surface as opposed to through it.) The pattern is cut to tight tolerance. After cutting the glass, final assembly is accomplished on one of the pattern copies (paper) and evaluated as to its color highlights and pull-in effects from lying next to constrasting colors. The width of the seam between pieces is totally up to the descretion of the artist. Remember that these seams will be filled with grout at a later stage.
Step 4 Horizontal cuts are made in each glass piece of the pattern. The first cut is arranged to be in the middle of the piece and located to run horizontal to the platform of the base by drawing a line through the piece on the pattern. The width of a given horizontal cut is maintained throughout and tested for adequate coverage on the pattern. I have had almost 100% success in making these straight horizontal cuts in the various pieces using a well lubricated glass cutter and running pliers. I DO NOT recommend breaking by hand or using 2 sets of pliers. Obviously, the best effects are obtained when all pieces are cut parallel. After some practice, these cuts can be done by hand and the widths marked on the glass with a sharpie. For larger pieces, a ruler serves best. The horizontal cuts are then laid on the original pattern; they do not have to have widths that fit end to end with adjacent pieces. There is NO grinding of these pieces, or of subsequent vertical cuts. Vertical cuts are made with widths at your discretion. The vertical cuts are made to establish a brick laying pattern for the piece and the over-all pattern. Smaller cuts are used should the surface have significant curvature.
Step 5 The pieces are affixed using E6000 industrial strength silastic glue, manufactured by Eclectic Products Inc, New Jersey City, NJ. (I obtain my material from Michael's Art Suppliers. I have not experimented with other glues, since this one really works, but I'm sure there are others.) Before starting, I lay down a straight horizontal line all the way around the lamp base using masking tape at the center horizontal line of the pattern. One then works upward and downward from this line in subsequently affixing pieces. A thin layer of the silastic is applied to each individual piece and worked by gluing the center tiles first and then moving toward the periphery for each specific horizontal row. Each piece is held in place by hand for approximately 30 seconds. Excess glue is avoided by using a cotton applicator (Q tip) so that none of the silastic comes up in the seams between pieces that later need to be grouted.(Should this occur, the excess can be removed with an Xacto knife, but this is messy and difficult after the glue has dried.) Some touch-up grinding may have to take place to get final pieces to exactly fit in relief crevices of the pattern on the base along the periphery. The base is placed in a horizontal position during application of tiles and from side-to-side as tiles are placed towards the periphery. The base is left in the horizontal position over night to minimize gravity effects.
Step 6 After pieces have dried over night they can be grouted. Use non-sanded grout since the spaces between tiles are at a minimum. Tint the white grout after making a paste using water. (Various tints are available as small tubes of concentrated paint pigment at hardware stores.) For regular antique bronze patina,I use burnt umber tint. I use masking tape to cover the edge of the base and not allow grout to contact this area since the lime in the grout attacks and discolors the patina. I do final touch up with a tooth brush and steel wool and use shoe polish on the edges where the tiles meet the patinaed surface.