Your Tiffany Lamps

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.