A History of an American Classic – Tiffany Lamps

Tiffany lamps were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1899.  Tiffany was in the interior design business for a firm in New York. He designed stained glass windows.  In designing these windows, he came up with the idea of making the lamps.

He constructed these lamps with leftover pieces of glass he had from the windows.  Tiffany lamps are made of a stained glass lamp shade.  They are handcrafted and not put together by machines.

Tiffany had two co-workers, Emeal Frshel and Clara Driscoll.  Freshel designed Wisteria and Pond Lily lamps.  Driscoll designed lamps in flower and butterfly patterns.

Today, there are very few Tiffany lamps in circulation.  An original Tiffany lamp sells for over $8,000,000.00.  Those wishing to purchase a lamp have to settle for the reproductions.  The manufacturers design these lamps based on Tiffany’s design and methods.  There are still handcrafted and vary between each craftsman.

The production of Tiffany lamps requires great detail.  Each is prepared using the Copper Foil method.  In this method, a design is drawn on a piece of cardboard and labeled with a number and a glass color.  After, the glass is laid on top and the pattern is traced onto it.  The pieces are cut and grounded to their correct shape.  They are then cleaned and the copper foil is applied to the edges.  This allows the pieces to be held together.  The lamp is then put together and the edges are soldered so it does not fall apart.  The lamp is cleaned to bring out its natural beauty.

Tiffany lamps bring beauty, style and class to your home.  Many designs are available for you to choose.  This allows you to pick the best Tiffany lamp to suit your needs.