Slag Glass Lamps

About Antique Slag Glass Lamps

Slag glass, also known as marble glass or malachite, is a type of opaque, streaked pressed glass. Production of slag glass originated in late-19th-century England, where glass manufacturers are thought to have added slag from iron-smelting works to molten glass to create a range of effects—from tortoiseshell to marbling. Among other uses, slag glass was a popular material for lampshades.

One of the first glass foundries to produce slag glass (although it was not called that at the time) was the Gateshead, England, firm of Sowerby, which patented its recipe for purple malachite glass in 1878. Sold into the U.S. market as "blackberries and cream," this popular formula was followed by other malachite colors, including a lemon-yellow called Giallo, a drab green called Pomona, a blue malachite called Sorbini, and Sowerby’s famous Brown, which is very difficult to find today...

Since the process of making slag glass was shrouded in a certain amount of mystery, stories sprang up to try and account for the process behind the effects. For example, it was a good bet that Sowerby’s Blue Nugget color of 1883 was the result of adding cadmium to molten glass, but how to explain Gold Nugget? Stories soon spread that John George Sowerby, son of the company’s founder, was tossing gold sovereigns into batches of amber glass to create this dramatic hue.

In the United States, manufacturers such as Westmoreland and Akro Agate picked up on the techniques developed in England and produced their own versions of slag glass. As in England, one of the most popular applications for their pressed opaque glass was in lampshades. Wide bands of creamy colors allowed the light source in a lamp to fill a room with a soft ivory glow, while the purples and greens and reds pieced together in detailed leaded shades resulted in multi-colored illumination.

Just about anyone who was making lamps during the Art Nouveau period, from Tiffany to Roycroft to Steuben, might have used slag glass in their shades. But whether they did or not in a particular lamp is another matter. The problem is that today, "slag glass" is used rather casually by dealers and collectors alike to refer to almost any type of pressed opaque glass containing colored swirls or streaks. The key to determining if a piece of glass is "true" slag or just a handsome example of pressed glass is to look for glass that is obviously and richly marbled rather than simply colored or streaked.

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American Arts Crafts Leaded Slag Glass Table Lamp N/r$745.00 Ends Sunday 15 bids 71 watchers
20s Miller Rare Red & Caramel Slag Panel Antique Lamp$450.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 32 watchers
Rare Antique Art Deco Chrome Floor Slag Lamp Torchiere$350.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 5 watchers
Killer Handel, Stickley Era Art Glass Slag Lamp, No Res$265.00 Ends Sunday 19 bids 66 watchers
20s Rainaud Green Slag W Ornate Overlay Antique Lamp$255.00 Ends Sunday 8 bids 30 watchers
Antique Slag Glass Art Nouveau Cast Metal Table Lamp $232.50 Ends Sunday 3 bids 33 watchers
Pristine Original 19th C Miller Slag Lamp With Lit Base$207.50 Ends Sunday 7 bids 21 watchers
Signed Miller Desk/piano Lamp W/ Slag Art Glass$202.50 Ends Sunday 6 bids 40 watchers
20s Rainaud Caramel Slag Art Nouveau Antique Lamp$198.05 Ends Sunday 6 bids 24 watchers
Signed Miller Slag Glass Panel Lamp$188.58 Ends Sunday 6 bids 15 watchers
Antique Vintage 16" Blue Violet Glass Slag Lamp Shade$142.49 Ends Monday 6 bids 36 watchers
Bradley Hubbard Lamp Filigree Spider Web Slag Shade$128.05 Ends Sunday 6 bids 23 watchers
26" Huge 1920 Art Nouveau 6 Panel Curve Slag Glass Lamp$120.49 Ends Sunday 7 bids 41 watchers
20s Parker 12 Slag Panel Open Fan Overlay Antique Lamp$113.50 Ends Sunday 5 bids 19 watchers
Large Antique Shabby Rose Slag Glass Lamp Shade$76.00 Ends Sunday 5 bids 33 watchers
Antique Slag Glass Cluster (2) Socket Glass Table Lamp$76.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 26 watchers
Antique ½ Size Victorian Slag Glass & Iron Table Lamp$75.98 Ends Sunday 7 bids 20 watchers
Roaring 1920's Geringer Hanging Slag Glass Parlor Lamp $67.66 Ends in 19 hours 5 bids 15 watchers
Antique Amber Cream Beaded Fringe Slag Glass Lamp Shade$67.66 Ends in 20 hours 6 bids 24 watchers
Antique Lamp Shade Slag Glass Fruits Leaded:21" D-14"h $66.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 5 watchers
Slag Glass Lamp Shade Vintage Antique Globe 9 X 14 1/2$57.00 Ends Monday 10 bids 21 watchers
1920"s Bradley Hubbard Green Slag Glass Table Lamp$56.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 7 watchers
Vintage Slag 6 Glass Panel Lamp Shade Lighting Nice$51.00 Ends in 23 hours 5 bids 13 watchers
Roaring 1920's Antique Geringer Slag Glass Parlor Lamp $44.00 Ends in 19 hours 4 bids 15 watchers
Vintage Chrome Art Deco Tv Lamp Cat Slag Stained Glass$38.77 Ends Sunday 13 bids 47 watchers
Amazing! C.1910 Bradley & Hubbard Poinsettia Slag Lamp$30.29 Ends Monday 5 bids 37 watchers
Antique Stained Slag Glass Handel Oil Lamp Shade Nr$29.00 Ends Monday 4 bids 25 watchers
Vtg Stained/slag? Glass Butterfly Brass Bankers? Lamp$27.00 Ends Monday 3 bids 4 watchers
Antique Cranberry Bent Slag Glass Oil Lamp Shade$23.05 Ends Sunday 3 bids 46 watchers
Stain Slag Glass Table Lamp/antique Look Ornate$22.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 1 watcher
Antique Slag Glass Lamp$21.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
Carmel Slag Art Glass Shade Electric Lamp C1920$20.50 Ends Sunday 6 bids 14 watchers
Old Slag Glass Lamp Light Shade. 5 Inches Tall. $19.99 Ends Sunday 2 bids 10 watchers
Vtg Slag Glass 8 Panel Hanging Tulip Swag Lamp Light$19.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 22 watchers
Vintage Lamp Shade Slag Leaded Glass:size 18" Green$19.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 8 watchers
Antique Green Agate Slag Glass Lamp$19.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid 1 watcher
Art Deco Antique Green Slag Glass Lamp Parts--nr!!!$16.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 15 watchers
Vintage Lamp Shade Stained Glass Slag Leaded:size 18"$16.50 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 13 watchers
Slag Glass Lamp$9.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 7 watchers
Vtg Hanging Slag Stained Glass Swag Lamp$9.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 3 watchers
Beautiful Blue Slag Glass Lamp Shade$9.95 Ends Saturday 1 bid 9 watchers
8 Vintage Marble Slag Lamp Light Base Parts$9.95 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Early 1900s Slag Lamp Shade Frame - No Glass$8.99 Ends Friday 1 bid 10 watchers
Art Deco Slag Glass Table Lamp Houze Glass$4.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 7 watchers
Antique Slag Glass Lamp Shade Project.$0.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 12 watchers

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Recent News: Slag Glass Lamps

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Blyth Auction Service
Antiques and Arts Weekly, November 19th

old cast iron setter dog door stop, tulip slag glass hanging lamp, jewelry decorated dresser set, must see carved ivory cover jar w/ elephant finnieale,...Read more

Northfield Auctions
Antiques and Arts Weekly, November 15th

Incl:Copper Samovar Lamp w/fncy Ruffled Shade;Pr.Lg.Italian Faince Lamps w/Fruit Garlands;Pr.Architectural Stucco Lamps; Nifty giltbrss Lyrebck 2arm Lamp...Read more

Finney's Auction Service
Antiques and Arts Weekly, November 15th

Accessories: Bradley & Hubbard Slag Glass Lamp, Selection of Waterford including stemware, Decanters, Pitcher, S&P, Jelly jar, Etched Candlesticks,...Read more

Slezik Auctions
Antiques and Arts Weekly, November 14th

LAMPS: Lg bronze-tone table lamp with curved purple slag paneled shade plus another early 20th C table lamp with slag glass shade; brass gooseneck reading...Read more

Ernest S. Eldridge
Antiques and the Arts Online, November 13th

Deco lamp, ceramic lamps, Chase copper lamp, slag shade, slag glass outside lamps, Victorian lamp brackets, lamp parts and other items of this quality...Read more

Coyle's Auction Gallery
Antiques and the Arts Online, November 9th

Hawkes Amer Brilliant cut glass tumblers, beautiful pair of 26" Paris porcelain vases (prof. repairs), large figural lamp, Victorian slag glass lamp,...Read more

Saco River Auction Company
Antiques and Arts Weekly, November 6th

2 Norton Ovoid Jug - Miller Slag Glass Lamp - Sports Items to incl. 1960 Mantle, 62 Maris, 56 Williams, 65 Yaz, 62 Whitey Ford, 58 Drysdale and Pewee Reese,...Read more

Carden Family Auction Services
Antiques and Arts Weekly, October 24th

Arts & Crafts slag glass lamps w/ mission bases, Hanging leaded dome, Unusual & Great GWTW w/ Puffy shade & matching base in soft blue satin glass,...Read more

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