Generally these bowls measure about 14 inches in diameter. The depth of the bowl varies between three and eight inches. In these photos I've rigged the bowls with pretty short hardware, so most hang between 13 and 16 inches from the ceiling. That means they qualify for your short, eight-foot ceiling, leaving you with only slightly less than seven feet of head room.

(Late breaking news: I've discovered a way to fit any of these bowls so they'll have a total drop of around ten inches! Look at item "M" on this page!)

Choose your metal finish! Like brushed nickel best? Chrome suits you? Polished (bright) nickel? No problem (just time and money). The components are all solid brass or bronze to begin with so you'll be getting a top-quality plating job, and there will never be any deterioration due to rusting or corrosion of the metal. I use brass tubing which is 1/4" square, and it can be cut to whatever length suits your purposes. I've reproduced four impossible-to-get vintage canopies (all compelling, original French Art Deco designs) in solid bronze. Here they are in all their glory, freshly plated in brushed nickel and patinated:

The hardware in the following pictures has been refinished in polished nickel, then patinated (that means it has black in the crevasses, giving it an antique look). The incandescent bulb gives a yellow cast to the nickel, something which doesn't appear to your eye under normal circumstances. Compact fluorescent bulbs give an even, whiter light which is extremely attractive.

(A) Let's start with a handsome geometric bowl by Degue. It's 13 3/4 inches across and about 5 inches deep. As shown, it hangs about 14 inches from the ceiling. Nicely signed Degue in the mold. (e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

(B) This one's a Schneider, likewise signed. This pattern is probably the most sought after, design-wise, of what the French call "pressed glass." It's about 14 inches wide and hangs about that distance as shown. You can't have it hanging any closer to the ceiling, but I can configure it to any longer length. And here's an example, the exact same Schneider bowl above with brushed nickel-plated hardware cut to an 18" custom length for Joe in Chicago (and don't panic, if you like it that much, I have one more!):

(e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

*****

(C) An unsigned "generic" design, but just tops in my book. This three-sided geometric beauty has the sophistocation of a design by Degue. It's deeper than many bowls, and as shown with this appartus, it hangs about 15 1/2 inches long. This bowl has a very faintly yellow cast to it. (e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

(D) This bowl has the vivid, geometric designs one might associate with Muller glass. (e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

(G) Another example of French Art Deco geometric styling at its finest, also unsigned.

This good looking? SOLD, of course!!!

(H) This pleasing bowl has that "cornucopia of nature" look so popular with the French. (e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

(J) A "killer" piece, one of Degue's most imposing, impressive, and of course rare -- a three-pointed, massive bowl with geometrical motifs from another planet. It's about 17 inches across, and with this apparatus (which can be lengthened or shortened, it measures 15 inches from the top of the canopy to the bottom of the bowl. Signed Degue, of course!

Our "killer" will be killing in Nancy's Chicago entryway! SOLD!!

(K) I have a few colored, hand-blown art glass bowls from the era, as well. This one is signed Muller Fres, Luneville, and its purple and blue colors are extremely rare. The glass has a faintly opalescent quality to it, giving it great depth and a bit of a warm glow when lit. It's the same size as the pressed glass bowls, about 14 inches across and five deep.

This bowl is sold (thank you, Jo), but I have others! SOLD!!

(L) Another hanging option for these bowls is the "cordelier," a (silk?) woven cord which holds the bowl in place; the electrical wires run through one cord and have the same fabric cleverly woven around them. This bowl hangs at about two feet, but I can reduce that to about 18 inches in a pinch. This bowl, with its unusual configuration and rare coloration, also has an ancient quality about the texture of the glass. (e-mail Jack to start the conversation)

(M) This extraordinary bowl has the esteemed D'AVESN signature boldly emblazoned on it. Wouldn't you just know it? D'Avesn, who worked for both Lalique and Daum (but, more significantly for himself), emerges as one of the true design lions of the era. As shown, it's about 17 inches long. I can lengthen it but not shorten it. It's about 16 inches across.

Ooops!! Looks like I made the first mistake in my short life. Turns out I CAN offer this bowl with a shorter drop -- and would you believe a total of EIGHT INCHES!!!??? I've outdone myself with this burst of ingenuity, I'll admit. I took an American Moderne fitter, all aluminum (but as of yet in the pictures below, unpolished), with 3 chain "arms," and voila! There's plenty of room to reach inside and change the bulb, but for even more instant and easy access, just remove one of the three chains from its station on the fitter, and voila encore! Pretty slick!

(e-mail Jack to start the conversation about this d'Avesn bowl)