The invention of the electric light bulb didn’t just introduce an improved, more convenient, safer light source. It gave designers new inspiration. As the use of electric lights spread during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, lamps with colorful opaque glass shades became popular. They made beautiful decorations, whether on or off, and the intense electric light shining through the glass often gave the design a whole new look.

Tiffany, Handel, and Pairpoint made the most famous lamps of the time. They have stunning, high-quality shades made with complex techniques, and the bases are usually bronze and often have intricate designs or figural shapes. Unsurprisingly, they can sell for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars today — a windfall if you’ve inherited one but a bit of an extravagant purchase for most collectors.

Similar lamps made by the many other companies active at the time may not quite reach those heights, but especially striking and well-made examples can still sell for impressive prices, even without a known maker. Even though its maker was not identified, this lamp sold for $3,000 at Woody Auction. Its light blue, orange, and caramel-colored glass panels make an eye-catching combination, especially with the ornate scrolls, wreaths, and flowers on its metal frame. A lighted base adds to its appeal.

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Q: Can you help me identify an unusual piece of framed art? It is made of cloth and depicts a scene of game birds in a forest. Parts of trees surround the edges, making it look like a repeating pattern. The designs are slightly raised. It is not signed. What is its value?

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A: It sounds like your artwork is an example of trapunto, a type of quilting where the outline of a shape is stitched on fabric, and padding inside the outline gives it a three-dimensional effect. Trapunto is an ancient technique, with surviving examples dated to 14th-century Italy, and it has been practiced worldwide. It became fashionable in the mid-20th century, both as a decoration and as a hobby. Hobbyists could buy kits with printed fabric. They sewed around the printed design and quilted it.

Fabric art like yours was made similarly and probably from about the same period. Outdoor scenes and animals were popular subjects; in addition to game birds, we have seen similar trapunto panels with fish, deer, or hunting dogs in the wilderness or with horses in a field. Today, these panels are often sold as “rustic” or “Adirondack” style decorations. Sometimes, they are incorporated into rustic-looking furniture. Large panels, about 20 x 25 inches, generally sell for $75 to $100.

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Q: Our handpainted Nippon chocolate set, including a pitcher and five cups and saucers, has been in our family for over 60 years. It is decorated with roses and gold and has a blue mark on the base with a leaf. We are wondering what it is worth so that we can list it correctly in our estate.

A: The leaf mark was used by the Morimura Bros., who opened their trading company in 1876. In 1904, they founded the company that was later known as Noritake, one of the most famous names in 20th-century Japanese ceramics. Morimura and Noritake used the maple leaf mark with the words “Nippon” and “Hand Painted” starting in 1891. The mark could be blue, green, or magenta. Nippon chocolate sets the size of yours, with the blue leaf mark and similar decorations, have sold for about $150 to $300 at recent auctions.

For a more precise estimate, you may want to contact a collector’s club, like the International Nippon Collector’s Club (nipponcollectorsclub.com), or an auction house or dealer that sells similar ceramics. To list the value of your estate, you may need to get a professional appraisal; however, they tend to be very expensive and may not be necessary if the value of the item is under a certain amount.

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TIP: When changing an antique, like rewiring a lamp or reupholstering a chair seat, keep the old pieces and parts you remove. When you sell your antique, the new owner will pay more if the old parts are part of the history.

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Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.

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CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Lamp, electric, motion, Niagara Falls, cylinder shade, cast iron mounts, dome top, pierced, molded swags, three shell shape feet, marked, Scene In Action Corp., Chicago, $50.

Game, mahjong, bone tiles, wood case, foldout front, brass mounts, two top handles, label, Mah-Jongg Sales Co. of America, San Francisco, 7 x 8 x 8 inches, $100.

Silver-English, jewelry box, oval, lid, relief roses, Neoclassical medallions, figures, lions, torchiers, four paw feet, marked, George Fox, London, 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches, $225.

Pottery-contemporary, vase, tapered base, multicolor, raku fired, signed, Joseph Woodford, 45 inches, $280.

Carousel, horse, jumper, walnut, front hooves raised, painted, multicolor saddle and blanket, carved mane and tail, rectangular base, 47 x 55 1/2 inches, $290.

Furniture, chair, Arts and Crafts, oak, six back slats, H-stretcher base, paddle armrests, open arms, early 20th century, 40 inches, $350.