What is it about Tiffany-style lamps that inspires such awe in those who see them? What about the beauty and elegance? What about the craftsmanship? What about the colours? Most likely all of the above.

Tiffany lamps are unlike any other lamp in the world due to their intricate stained glass patterns. You know what it is the moment you see one. Tiffany lamps' primary function is to provide light. However, their beauty appears to transform your light into an eye-catching focal point of the room.

Let's take a look at some of the features of Tiffany lamps.

What is a Tiffany Lamp?

A Tiffany lamp is best known for its glass lamp shade, which comes in a variety of colours and designs. Although Tiffany table and floor lamp bases can have intricate designs of their own, it is best known for the glass shades that adorn the light.

The Tiffany lamp was named after its creator, Louis Comfort Tiffany, who manufactured Tiffany lamps from the late 1880s to 1930.

Tiffany created the lamps by soldering together pieces of cut, coloured glass left over from stained glass windows he had made years before. He cut various types and colours of glass using a pattern he created.

Once the glass pieces were cut, he cleaned each piece and applied copper foil to the edges. The pieces were then laid out to match the pattern design, Tiffany would then solder each piece together; thereby creating one solid piece from once was many individual pieces of glass. The copper foil helped bond the solder to each piece of glass, creating a lamp shade that consisted of a single, solid wire throughout. A final cleaning would bring out the vibrant colors of the shade.

A Brief History of Tiffany lamps and its Inventor

Comfort, Louis Tiffany was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany and Co., a jewellery and fine merchandise store. Instead of following in his father's footsteps, Louis pursued a career in the arts. Tiffany began designing the first Tiffany Lamps in the 1880s. The first Tiffany Lamps were very geometric, with mosaic designs that used basic shapes like squares, triangles, and circles.

During the early 1900s, the lamps became more popular, and demand for them increased. Tiffany hired a group of unmarried female employees who became known as the "Tiffany Girls." The Tiffany Girls assisted in the design and cutting of glass for the lamps. Clara Driscoll was one such woman, eventually becoming the director and designer of many of Tiffany's most popular designs. Her most popular designs included the Wisteria, Dragonfly, Peony,

Tiffany lamp demand declined in the late 1920s, and the company closed its doors in 1930. Louis Comfort Tiffany passed away in

Tiffany Lamp Designs

With the growing popularity of Tiffany lamps today, finding your desired style and design of Tiffany style lamp has become very simple. Tiffany lamps are available in almost every style. There are numerous styles to choose from, including table lamps, floor lamps, hanging lamps, sconces, and pendants. Let's take a look at some of Tiffany Lamps' most

Geometric Designs

Geometric Tiffany lamps were created by cutting glass into basic shapes like squares, triangles, diamonds, and rectangles and using only one or two colours.

Lotus Leaf, Acorn, Spider Web, Parasol, Nautilus Seashell, Indian Basket, and Turtleback were among the geometric designs. These symmetrical designs were some of Tiffany's early work. Although a symmetrical design may appear to be dull, Tiffany's use of colour and shapes brought the lamps to life.

Flowered Dome Designs

The flowered domes have a variety of colours in the shade. The domes are rounded, draping domes, as opposed to the typical cone shape of a shade. Dragonfly, Daffodil, Peony, Bamboo, Oriental poppy, Apple Blossom, Poinsettia, and many more designs are available.

Flowered Cones

The flowered cone lamps, like the flowered domes, were symmetrical with floral designs and looked more like a typical cone-shaped shade. Tiffany's use of colour, design, and shapes distinguishes his flowered cones from any other shade of the day. The cone design was also used to create the Dragonfly, Oriental poppy, and Peony designs. The cone design was created specifically for the Lily Pad, Grape, Water Lily, and Arrowroot.

Wisteria Designs

Tiffany's Wisteria design is one of her most popular. This design became popular because the finished lamp resembles a Wisteria tree. The lamp fixture represents the trunk, and the lamp shade represents the blossoming limbs. To add depth to the shade, details of branches and limbs hanging down were added. The use of vibrant colour and irregular edges entices a second or third look to determine whether or not it is a lamp shade.

With their resurgence in popularity, finding an authentic Tiffany lamp has become extremely difficult. Some original Tiffany lamps have sold for millions of dollars for a single lamp.

If this is a little out of your price range, there are many Tiffany-inspired or Tiffany-style lamps available at reasonable prices. Tiffany lamps, distinguished by their stained glass shades and decorative bases, provide us with a beautiful, artistic way to brighten our homes with colourful designs from the past.