How do you recognize a high-quality stained glass lamp?
Key aspects are glass quality and workmanship. On a fine lamp, the glass has a brilliance that is lacking
in cheaper mass-produced lamps. Fine clear-coloured glass, especially if it has texture in it, will cast exciting fiery glints
on nearby walls – more so when unfrosted bulbs are used. Opalescent (translucent) glass should have rich, intense
hues. The glass also looks and feels like real glass instead of something akin to plastic as in the cheaper lamps.
The soldered seams on a well-crafted lamp are smooth, polished, slightly raised lines. In contrast, mass-marketed lamps
tend to have flat, rough, weak, and/or jagged soldering. Only such poorly made lamps can be sold so cheaply! Inferior
lamps are not constructed to last and often need structural repairs that end up costing as much as the lamp – if they can be done
at all. A good hand-crafted lamp will last indefinitely – they are truly heirloom quality.