20th C. French Green Opaline Glass Lamp

A table lamp with a baluster-form body in green opaline glass, banded at the shoulder with a gold Greek key motif. The base is mounted on a stepped wood plinth, and the lamp is fitted with a plain fabric shade. France, circa 1960s.

Opaline glass is opal glass, made by adding bone ash or other opacifying agents to molten glass so that it takes on a soft, milky density rather than true transparency. It became closely associated with French decorative arts from the 18th century onward and saw a strong revival in the mid-20th century, when colored opaline in shapes drawn from classical urns and vases was produced widely for the lighting and decorative trade.

Style: French, Neoclassical Revival
Materials & Techniques: Opaline glass, gilt decoration, wood base
Place of Origin: France
Period: 1960s