Tiffany Lamps: History and Technique
Louis Comfort Tiffany began his artistic career as a painter, but his attention soon turned to glass. In 1893, after studying glassmaking, Tiffany opened a studio of his own in Queens. Just four years later, he exhibited some of his first lamps at the Chicago World's Fair. With his designs that melded the modern technology of electric light with the romantic opalescence of a dragonfly wing, the world took notice.
Technique
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Copper Foil Construction
Perhaps the most instantly recognizable attribute of a Tiffany lamp is its copper foil construction. This method was perfected by Tiffany and provided an alternative to the bulky lead that was being used before. By precisely cutting the glass, Tiffany lamp designers could lay out their designs and use copper foil to secure the pieces together. Once soldered, copper foil is stronger than lead and it results in cleaner lines.
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The Glass
If copper foil construction is the first marker of that Tiffany torchiere lamp, then glass is second. Louis C. Tiffany studied glass-making long before he began making lamps and he developed a love for the irregular, the discolored, the type of glass that fine glass makers of the day would toss away in the garbage. Tiffany felt these impurities lent a unique and organic beauty to his lamp creations and trademarked the term Favrile. These shades softened the bright new electric bulb into a natural luminescence reminiscent of dragonflies, fish scales, or the underside of a lotus leaf lit from sunlight above.
The Base
Bases of Tiffany lamps were originally created in cast bronze. Heavy bases are necessary on Tiffany lamps to accommodate the incredible weight of the glass shades. These bases of Tiffany lamps are typically created with a nod to the botanic, taking on the shapes of mushroom stems or newly formed plant tendrils unfurling.
Tiffany Lamps Today
Though purchasing an original Tiffany lamp today could cost you thousands of dollars, many designers and manufacturers are creating lovely replicas. Check out designers like Dale Tiffany, Meyda Tiffany, or Quoizel for lamp designs inspired by one of America's most influential artisans.
