Tiffany Lamps

The History and Uses of Tiffany Lamps

By Mark J. Donovan




Tiffany lamps have been providing luxurious home décor since the 1800s. Often they are used in libraries, dens, billiard rooms, and parlors around the home. Before modern assembly processes Tiffany lamps were individually handcrafted by artisans with unique glass patterns. The Tiffany lamp was originally designed by Clara Driscoll in 1895. However it was Louis Comfort Tiffany who popularized them.

With his knowledge in interior design, metallurgy, jewelry and stained glass he designed many different categories of Tiffany lamps, including flowered cone and globe lamps, and irregular upper and lower border lamps. Much of his designs simulated flowers, trees, insects and other objects found in nature.

Much of Tiffany’s lamp work focused on using discarded glass pieces from his stained glass work to develop decorative glass lamp shades. Tiffany went to great lengths to design very intricate and complex glass lamp shades by carefully fitting together hundreds of small glass pieces. The small glass pieces were held together with very malleable copper foil that is both light weight and strong. He also often used bronze sculpture bases for supporting the glass Tiffany lamp shade. However he also used other types of bases and designed ceiling lamps as well.

Though the Tiffany lamp style has been around for well over a hundred years it is still very popular in interior home designs. They are used in many rooms within the home.

Tiffany lamps are commonly used for spot lighting on desks and tables, however Tiffany ceiling light fixtures are also available for providing source lighting for illuminating an entire room. There is even Tiffany floor lamps that take up very little floor space and that are great for reading lights and for illuminating an entire room. Tiffany lamps are also available in sconces and accent light pieces.

So if you are looking to add both lighting and home décor to your home take a look at Tiffany lamps and lighting products. They are timeless and offer beauty that is unmatched by many of today’s common light fixtures.


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