The cast glass process of manufacturing
inverted dome bowls was a way to get much finer
detail in the relief design of the bowl. This
renders a much finer design than ordinary blown
in mold glass. Molten glass was poured into a mold
that was the reverse of the relief design. The result
was a heavier glass than Blown in mold glass. The
heavier glass created a cameo translucence of light
and dark shades that also highlighted the relief
beauty of the bowl. The heavier glass was also a
much sturdier form that was less likely to chip
and break from the hardware that carries the bowl.
Many of these bowls were decorated in relief detail that makes them especially appropriate for Classical and Colonial Revival environments. With a scarcity of original fixtures made for a Greek Revival for example, built in 1840, these bowls do a good job filling the need left from this scarcity.
Other bowls were decorated in a more Victorian
appropriate relief. In general, these bowls make a
great foyer fixture and are able to put out quite a
bit of light when upgraded electrically. Needless to
say, these Antique Lights will work in many rooms of
your home.