Century Studios - Tiffany Lamp Bases (2024)

FAQs

How do I know what Tiffany lamp base I have? ›

To check its base, lift the lamp's bottom cap and see if it has a heavy grey metallic ring of Bronze. And if the base you found is made of white metal, plastic, wood, brass, or zinc, then they are the cheaper alternatives to the original Tiffany Lamps.

Eventually, changing tastes and a declining economy contributed to the demise of Tiffany's artistic empire. Production wound down during the 1920s, and the Corona complex finally closed its doors in around 1930. Sketch of the Tiffany Furnaces, Corona, New York. Postcard, Bird's Eye View of Corona, N.Y., Looking South.

Tiffany Studios closed in 1930, just before the death of its founder in 1933. Today, Tiffany Lamps creates reproduction lamps based off the old designs from Tiffany Studios. In 2006, a major exhibition of the work of Tiffany Studios opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Original Tiffany lamps are made by the Tiffany Studios New York in late 1800's and early 1900's. Tiffany reproduction lamps are reproductions of the original Tiffany lamps. Tiffany style lamps are stained glass lamps inspired by the original Tiffany lamps and other stained glass and Art Nouveau subjects.

The value of an old, original Tiffany lamp can vary widely based on various factors such as the lamp's condition, age, rarity, and design. Some of the most expensive Tiffany lamps sold at auction have reached prices in the millions of dollars, while others may be worth significantly less.

The numbers of the bulb indicate its base size, which is based on its diameter at its widest point, measured in eighths of an inch (⅛”). For example: An A19 bulb indicates that the bulb comes in a standard household shape (code A), and the '19' indicates that the base is 19/8ths inches in size.

Tiffany Studios, not to be confused with Tiffany & Co., was a decorative arts company run by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Tiffany's leadership and talent, as well as his father's money and old firm allowed Tiffany to relaunch Tiffany studios as a marketing strategy in order for his business to thrive. In 1932, Tiffany Studios filed for bankruptcy.

On January 7, 2021, multinational holding company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired a majority stake in Tiffany & Co. for US$15.8 billion and delisted Tiffany's stock from the New York Stock Exchange. It remains headquartered in New York City and operates as an independent subsidiary.

An authentic Tiffany Studios lamp is made with a bronze base, and over time bronze develops a beautiful patina. The patina on Tiffany lamps is a result of a chemical reaction, called oxidation, that causes the bronze to develop a film that's slightly brown or green in hue.

When did Tiffany stop making lamps? ›

While Tiffany lamps fell out of fashion (and even ceased production) by 1913, they saw a resurgence in the 1950s. Since then, they have become a collector's item, appearing in private collections, auction houses, fine art museums, and, for some lucky thrifters, even unassuming antique shops and flea markets.

Louis Comfort Tiffany: The Creator of Tiffany Lamps

As the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co., Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) was perhaps destined to delight in the decorative arts of America's Gilded Age.

As part of the maximalist, antique-obsessed movement, younger generations are discovering these timeless pieces—and some are even getting tattoos of them.

Tiffany lamps are expensive because of their limited supply and high demand. These original Tiffany lamp designs are characterized by lavish ornamentation and patterns inspired by nature. It is also expensive because every single lamp is handmade.

Tiffany fixtures sound like plastic if you tap them with your finger, even though genuine Tiffany products are glass. That's because Tiffany invented a process of wrapping his pieces of stained glass in a piece of paper covered in copper foil.

Authentic Tiffany lamp shades should be either globe or cone shaped and 'flow' organically. Fake reproductions tend to have a more rigid form. In terms of the motifs used, botanical designs, geometric patterns, dragonflies, butterflies, peaco*ck feathers and spiders were all popular designs.

Check For Makers' Marks

Typically, these marks are on the base of the lamp, but sometimes there are also stickers on the light fixing itself that will include a name or date or manufacturer.

Sometimes there will also be a model number to the right of the name on the rim. It is usually going to be four numbers, with rare exceptions. Since not all lamps are signed (the majority of them are marked), the authentication of the shade glass and all else needs to be done by an expert.

Base: Tiffany lamp bases were mostly cast in bronze, though with some exceptions. Stamps: Nearly all Tiffany lamp shades and bases alike were stamped with the mark “Tiffany Studios New York,” along with a series of numbers.