| Considered one of the great | | | | would be cleaned and given a treatment. |
| contributions to the Art Nouveau | | | | The treatment would involve applying a |
| movement, stained glass lamps have | | | | patina to the solder. |
| remained very popular. With a | | | | Tiffany lamps are characterized by |
| characteristic stained glass shade, | | | | several distinctive patterns. Some |
| Tiffany lamps became the standard for | | | | tiffany designs were based in the use of |
| these beautiful light fixtures. Taking | | | | geometric shapes ranging from squares |
| full advantage of the widening | | | | and rectangles to triangles and ovals. |
| availability electricity, stained glass | | | | Tiffany also created beautiful floral |
| lamps are a great example of form | | | | patterns in a variety of shapes. Florals |
| following function. | | | | were often combined with some type of |
| Following the success of the original | | | | geometric pattern. |
| Tiffany designs, many other styles of | | | | Cone shaped lamp shades are more |
| stained glass lamps were produced. | | | | difficult to produce. The pieces of |
| Though the term Tiffany is often used to | | | | glass were generally smaller than the |
| describe stained glass lamps, there is | | | | glass used to make geometric shapes. The |
| only one Tiffany. The concept of a table | | | | difficult task of creating a cone shape |
| lamp was not new in the late eighteen | | | | shade makes this class of Tiffany lamp |
| hundreds. Oil and gas table lamps had | | | | more expensive and highly collectible. |
| been in wide use by the time Thomas | | | | Not all of the shades produced by |
| Edison and other inventors began | | | | Tiffany featured a flat edge. The |
| marketing electric light bulbs. | | | | irregular patterns often came in a globe |
| The first Tiffany lamps appeared at the | | | | shape with edges that were irregularly |
| turn of the twenty century. Each lamp | | | | shaped. The patterns were less geometric |
| was made by hand and reflected the work | | | | and more free flowing in design. |
| of the individual artist. The base of | | | | Regardless of which pattern it is, a |
| the lamp was typically made of brass or | | | | genuine Tiffany lamp can fetch quite a |
| bronze. It should be pointed out that | | | | high price. The highest price ever paid |
| several copies of a particular design | | | | for a Tiffany lamp at auction is |
| were made but the lamps were never mass | | | | reported to be over eight million |
| produced. Even though several copies of | | | | dollars. |
| a pattern were produced, each lamp shade | | | | For those of us who can not afford the |
| has a one of a kind feel imparted by the | | | | high price of genuine Tiffany, there are |
| individual artist. Louis Tiffany gained | | | | some reasonable alternatives. There are |
| experience in working with glass as a | | | | lamp makers who offer reproductions of |
| maker of stained glass windows. Working | | | | Tiffany patterns for a fraction of the |
| with pieces of scrap, he began to design | | | | cost you might expect to pay for the |
| lamp shades. He utilized standard | | | | genuine article. There are some very |
| methods of production that were used in | | | | high quality reproductions and original |
| creating stained glass windows. | | | | designs done in the Tiffany style by |
| Leaded stained glass is typically made | | | | modern artists. It is common to see |
| from cut pieces of colored glass. A | | | | glass mosaic designs on some of the lamp |
| pattern would be drawn and cut then used | | | | bases. |
| to score and cut the individual pieces | | | | If you fancy the idea of owning a |
| of the glass puzzle. The edges of each | | | | genuine Tiffany lamp, it pays to do your |
| piece of glass would be covered in | | | | homework. As with any type of |
| copper metal foil than soldered | | | | collectible, there are many fakes and |
| together. In the days of Louis Tiffany | | | | knockoffs of the genuine article. There |
| and until recently, lead based solders | | | | are Tiffany knockoffs are very well made |
| were used, hence the basis for the term | | | | and will certainly fool an untrained |
| leaded glass. Lead has been removed from | | | | buyer. Be certain to educate yourself |
| most solders since lead is now | | | | about the unique qualities of genuine |
| considered a hazardous material. Once | | | | Tiffany before you commit to a purchase. |
| the soldering is completed, the joints | | | | |