The original Tiffany Lamps were so well made that many of them have survived to today. Though it is unknown how many originals were make by L.C. Comfort and the Tiffany Studios, the true originals can fetch over five million dollars today. Many good copies on are the market today. Some for as inexpensive as about a hundred dollars, and some for as much as several thousand dollars. With stained glass shades, created from hundreds of tiny pieces of glass, the detail is stunning. Some patterns are random, others group colors and shapes together, and the most exquisite arrange colors and shapes together to make objects such as dragon flies or flowers. So let’s take a minute to look at various styles of Tiffany lighting, where this art form originated, and the lighting selection available today.
LC Tiffany
Tiffany Lamps were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) in the 1880′s. The inspiration for Tiffany style lights began on day when LC Tiffany was in his glass shop manufacturing plant and a heap of stained glass cut offs caught his eyes. Already this inventor was a well know stained glass window artisan. He developed a system of attaching copper foil along the edges of the stained glass pieces. Then he soldered one to the next. Soon a lamp shade was formed.
Tiffany was also acquaintances with Thomas Edison, inventor of the electric light bulb. Together these men worked to create the first electrical Tiffany lamp. I thought that is was also interesting that their workshop for this project was in a theater. These two inventors are part of the drama of American history, making history in a theater…
Vintage Tiffany Lamps
If you have ever shopped for a Tiffany lamp then you know that the vast majority of Tiffanies are not originals. Only a few originals still exist. As I mentioned earlier, currently an original costs several million dollars. About thirty years ago an original sold for about $20,000 but the cost has escalated because more collectors are specializing in Tiffany lamps limiting the number in circulation.
Tiffany The Painter Turned Inventor
Before Louis Tiffany was a pioneer lamp inventor he was a painter. His interest progressed to stained glass windows and specialty window glass. As is fame grew he painted world known cathedral windows. During his window staining he also invented new methods for staining glass, even making it appear wavy and textured within the glass.
After achieving status as one of the most renown stained glass artisans hes interest turned towards the lamps. His first shades were made from common geometrical shapes of squares, triangles, and rectangles. Various colors and shapes were each cut and a pattern was laid out. Then all of the pieces were soldered together via the copper foil edging. Each work was composed from several hundred shapes.
Not wishing to stop with only shades, he also designed specialty lamp stands. The trunks of trees and other patterns were specifically designed and fashioned to compliment the shades. Today his Wisteria Tree lamp base is still in demand.
The Tiffany Girls
Tiffany himself – world famous painter, stained glass window guru, and new style of lighting inventor – really only took the first step in transforming the new lights into the industry they are today. The most popular and intricate designs were actually developed by a team of ladies who became known as the Tiffany Girls. With rising demand for the lights more designers were employed. The Tiffany Girls were part of the expanded work force. These ladies handmade lamp shades, but they also developed new designs. America was a growing and maturing country with a continuous appetite for the new. The industrial revolution was enabling more people to have disposable income for such things.
Clara Driscoll was a design director of the Tiffany Girl’s team. Some of the crowning works of the Tiffany Studios were a result of these ladies. Patterns such as the Peony, Wisteria, Dragon Fly, and Daffodils were their creations. It was not until recently that these works were correctly credited to these ladies instead of to LC Tiffany himself.
The Tiffany Glass
To gain the effect and drama of some of these lights the stained glass itself possessed some of the most important detail. To gain the full feel of the glass, the coloring process must be explored. Original stained glass windows involved a process of painting the glass. Tiffany believed there was a better method to be found. A simple inexpensive jam jar captured his attention. Cheap glass had impurities which gave various hues. With this thought he went to some glass manufactures and asked them about making various colors of glass, but no one was interested. Colored glass was substandard and imperfect. The industry had finally discovered a way to make purely clear glass, so why would they go back? But Louis Tiffany was not to be deterred. He went back to his own specialty glass foundry and began experiments. The resulting glass transformed the stained glass craft.
Through his experimentation not only were the colors integrated into the glass, but also textures were crafted into the glass. He mixed hot glass of various temperatures, color combinations, etc together. One famous glass he patented was his iridescent effect.
If you read about Louis Tiffany you are bound to encounter the term “Favrile”. Favrile is defined as coming from an antiquated French word meaning “hand crafted”, or “hand-wrought”. In 1894 Favrile is used as an adjective connected to a specialty glass. “Favrile Iridescent Glass” was patented to him and was one of his top achievements.
Tiffany Lamps were uniquely his so the early one were not stamped, marked, or autographed. When Tiffany began earmarking his work it was only through numbers or his word “Favrile”. Some later shades were stamped simply with “Tiffany Studios”. Most experts agree that original pieces that are marked with L.C.T. had the initials added later, now then it was originally crafted. Some people did this to try to add value to the lights.
Tiffany Lamps Today
Today Tiffany style lamps go far beyond the table lamps. Lights with stained glass patterns include ceiling fans, chandeliers, accent lights, floor lamps, pendent lights, wall sconces, and even night light shades. Less expensive lights by names such as Dale Tiffany, Quoizel, and Meyda Tiffany range between $50 and $500.
For those who desire an exact replica there are a few custom lighting companies who still handcraft Tiffany lamps the same way Louis Tiffany did over 100 years ago. Oceana, Stripple, Kokomo, and Bullseye are a few of these companies who offer this level of craftsmanship. A replica from one of these costs between $500 and $5,000 depending on the style, size, and complexity of the pattern.
Tiffany lamps are a piece of American history with great beauty. Many companies have made it relatively inexpensive to purchase one to enjoy in your own home.
Your Tiffany Lamps
The old cliche, one man’s trash in another man’s treasure, can be applied. Left over stained glass window cuttings along with an eye for design, made cutoffs into a whole new product world. Over time others copies the Tiffany works, there are ways to identify the originals made by the Tiffany Studios. The original lights either had no markings at all or a simple number sequence or the word “Favrile”, a word Tiffany coined for his delicate work. After the turn of the century, some lights were stamped with “Tiffany Studios”. Other originals do bare a mark or letters such as “L.C.T.”, but initials such as that were actually added to the originals after they had gained in notoriety.
The term Favrile is an interesting side note. This word was taken from an old world French word meaning handcrafted. Tiffany used the term first relating to his iridescent glass, patenting it under the name, “febrile iridescent glass”. This man did have a big ego, I would say, and choosing a new name for things would be his style.
Also very note worthy in the legacy of Tiffany is the Tiffany Girls and Clara Dirscoll. As more artists were hired a small group of ladies that were hired by the company were named the Tiffany Girls. These were unmarried ladies, as it was unlawful at that time in history to work after a woman was married. And so the term ‘girls’ was chosen to describe them. One woman who has come to the forefront of history just recently is Clara Driscoll. She was a highly educated and trained designer that Tiffany hired. Under her guidance, the lovely Tiffany lamps developed a step further. Departing from the roots of geometric shapes, the ladies put some of their own touches in the lamps. Simple outlines and shapes were stunning in the beginning, but the ladies had an eye for nature. The stained glass was to reflect the natural rays of a sun set, so why not tie nature into the designs. And so a whole new age of lights were developed. Letters from Clara Driscoll to her extended family detail that “she and the girls made the Daffodil design”. Other letters talk in depth about the Dragon Fly, Wisteria, Peony, and other designs they were instrumental in turning into reality.
Due to history at that point in time, it was known that Tiffany Girls existed, but it was not until the letters from the Driscoll descendants came to light, that it was known that L.C. Tiffany and other craftsman in the employment of Tiffany were not the designers of the most popular lamps, as listed above. Today whole museum displays are now dedicated to the ingenuity and skill of these ladies.
Tiffany lamps are so unique. There is few homes that would not benefit from owning one. The stained glass colors emanate warmth that reminds you of a cathedral. The Tiffany lamp was originally designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in New York. Originally as painter, his interest turned to stained glass. Then in about 1885 Tiffany had the idea of taking odd pieces of glass that were laying unused on his studio floor, and turning them into a lamp shade. The first Tiffany lamp shades were all of regular sized pieces. At the hands of the craftsman the triangles, squares, and other simple shapes began to take form.
Once a pattern was laid out, L.C. Tiffany decided to solve the problem of holding them together in a very unique and delicate way. Carefully each individual piece of glass was edged in copper foil. Then with great care each copper edged piece of glass was soldered each piece, one to the next. As this spider web of a creation was connected, a single solid concave shade resulted.
Louis Tiffany was so enamored by his creation that by the 1890′s he decided to discontinue his stain glass partnership with two other artists, and devote full time to the new lamps. This was surprising as some of his work was even commissioned for the White House and famous churches. But his intent was to continue his stained glass ventures along this new avenue.
Louis Tiffany was an inventor at heart. Back in his artist days he visited Europe and saw the huge stained glass windows of yester-year. Stained glass at that time was made from painting the glass. He returned home and approached several glass foundries about leaving the impurities in the glass. The impurities found in simple jars gave them color. Tiffany had the insight to see that color and he desired to do more glass work experiments. The foundries saw no reason to tinker with glass colors. It had taken years of work to refine higher quality glass and remove the impurities, and here is someone asking them to return to what they had just progressed away from.
L.C. Tiffany's Work, Girl with Cherry Blossoms
So undaunted, and backed by his own money, his father’s wealth, and many connections Tiffany opened his own glass foundry. This was all prior to his work on the Tiffany Lamps in 1885. (As implied above, the lamps were a result of his research in glass and also his stained glass window workings.) Once the plant was open he began tinkering with the glass. Some of his experiments included mixing different hot glass together. Unlike the painted stained glass, his vision was to have the color as part of the glass itself.
Some of his creations included rippled glass, and his invention of iridescent glass. To the left is one of his most famous stained glass windows. Notice the ripples in her gown, the different shades of red in the petals, and the hair and skin that look so realistic. Only a true master craftsman could have developed glass to this fine point.
The left overs from a window such as this is what the original Tiffany lamp was made from. Over time the Tiffany Studios developedfamous patterns such as the Dragon Fly, Wisteria, peony, Daffodil, and Spiderweb even available today in replicas. These styles are used in both Tiffany table lamps and Tiffany floor lamps as well as other lighting styles. Though no record was kept at the studio, one can only guess how many hours of work went into each Tiffany lamp. These are true relics of handmade wonders from the late 1800′s and early 1900′s.
