0127G Reproduction Mid-West Mfg Batwing Slip Shade
Often called “batwing” shades, these are some of the most popular shades in the Art Deco Lighting world.
As the group family picture denotes, the originals were made by Mid-West Manufacturing, Circa 1935. Our references indicate that you could also buy the lights in Canada and Australia.
As the group picture illustrates...there are dozens and dozens of finishes of the 1935 shades, so the term “matching to old ones” is usually out of the question. If matching is vital, don’t purchase these shades. Usually what a dealer will do is to buy a complete set, and use his antique partial set to complete lesser numbers of shaded fixtures. Different antique shade finishes result from: different production runs of these shades...or...being washed hundreds of times...or...bleached out by the sun...and even...storage in poor conditions.
However...these shades also “could be” changed for color. The original method of manufacture was to air brush in the dark lines on the inside of the shade, and then coat over the inside of the shade with the 2nd coat of base color. This is the way our shades are colored. Stripping off this paint will allow you to re-color them if you so desire. We do not do this except in our factory by the hundred.
The group picture ought to give you an idea of the two families that these shades will fit. There were more models made but they all follow the same design parameters. If you have a question, please send us an email picture of your fixture and we will respond.
While the “batwing” shades only fit these two families, the bottom shade was used by Mid-West on more than one family of slip shade lights. The bottom shade would most often fit a receiver with a diameter of 7 3⁄8” to 7 ¾”.
In order to match historical appearance, some colored shades are made using a water based dye or paint. Clean with a soft dry cloth. Do not wet.
Many of our glass shades are made using original molds and methods. Both antique and reproduction shades sometimes contain small bubbles. These are historically accurate, and not considered defects.
