How Tiffany Lamps Are Made

What makes Tiffany lamps unique and a key component to their desirability is, without doubt, the stained glass. The term stained glass generally refers to glass that has either been painted and fired or colored by adding metallic salts during its manufacture. The latter process is exemplified by the use of copper to produce green or blue glass or gold oxides to produce reds and oranges. Stained glass is an art and a craft that requires the artistic skill to conceive the design, and the engineering skills necessary to assemble the piece so that it is capable of supporting its own weight and surviving the elements.

Manufacturing Lamps
The bases of Tiffany lamps are usually sculpted bronze. The shades are created by thoroughly fitting hundreds of hand cut glass shapes into copper foil enclosures. This procedure is known as the copper foil method, which was created and originally used by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Since copper foil is light and at the same time strong, it is possible to create large shades and complex designs unique to the artificer.

Copper Foil Method

Each Tiffany lamp shade consists of individual glass pieces. A heavy card board pattern is made for each individual piece of glass. This pattern piece is placed on the sheet of glass, outlined, and cut with a handheld tool or guide. Next, the glass is shaped, cleaned, and the copper foil is attached, thus creating the shape of the shade.

The copper must be soldered together to create and maintain the form of the shade. Soldering is an old technique used to bond metal, which, in this case, maintains the integrity of the shade design. When the soldering is complete, the shade is cleaned, amplifying the beauty of the stained glass. Because manufacturing Tiffany lamps is a uniquely individualized endeavor, every piece is different and truly exceptional.