The Tiffany lamp is called a Godfather in the big family of Lamps as it is old and antique. These uniquely decorated lamps were very famous during the Art Nouveau movement. And now, these lamps are rare and majorly found in people’s private collections or museums.
But as there is a flood of Forgeries in the market, people are establishing the market of duplicate Tiffany by the name of the original one. Thus, it’s important for a consumer to identify the real Tiffany lamps and know methods to spot the fake ones. Let’s review the characteristics of the original Tiffany Lamp to help you identify the authentic Tiffany and save you money on a fake one.
However, before that, let’s know what makes the Tiffany lamps so special and what all the hype is about.
What Makes Tiffany Lamps So Special?
Firstly, the Tiffany Lamp has a great history that makes it more special than other lamps. Research has stated that the first Tiffany lamp was designed around 1895 by artist “Clara Driscoll” director of Tiffany Studios in NY. Initially, the designs of Tiffany Lamps were inspired by nature and regarded to be of the Art Nouveau style. These lamps lasted in fashion during the Art Deco period when their Geometric design became famous.
Moreover, Tiffany Lamps are so extraordinary among the collection of other lamps because they have complex designs and are made of tons of art glass pieces. Also, it takes hours to make a single Tiffany lamp. Every piece of this Glass lamp is cut and polished by human hands before being surrounded in foil.
Tiffany Antique lamps were never machine-made and mass-produced, which makes them more expensive than other lamps. One Tiffany lamp costs somewhere around $4,000 to over $1 million.
Features Of Real Tiffany Lamp
There is plenty of lead Glass Tiffany lamps available in the market and online stores, but nothing can beat the beauty and appearance of the authentic Tiffany Lamp. Let’s go through the characteristics of Genuine Tiffany Lamps to know if you are spending your money on the right Tiffany Lamp.
Base Of Bronze
It is very important to check on Tiffany’s base because authentic Tiffany lamps have a base of Bronze. 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.
Moreover, you can check the Patina on the shade’s Bronze base because that tiny color keeps changing with age, which can tell you the given lamp is not Tiffany’s replica. However, a few forgeries add a fake patina to provide it with the exact original look.
Glass Shade
It is important to assess the kind of Lampshade Tiffany has because the original Tiffany has a high-grade shade of stained Glass that even shines in the absence of a bulb. Also, it is more movable and in natural shape than rigid false ones. Thus to check its authenticity, you can knock the Glass shade by holding it from the top. Because if the shade is firm even after knocking it, it means that it is not the original one.
The Tiffany lampshade has multiple patterns, including butterfly, dragon, and Peacock feathers, Geometric designs, and spider forms. Also, these lamps have vibrant and intense shades with various textures. If you observe pale, Golden, and Greenish colors in Gold Glass, it’s not authentic.
Moreover, you can wipe the Glass with a cotton Swab by dabbing it in nail polish remover because few forgeries color the glass shade instead of using the original methods to embed color in Tiffany Lamp. So if it is not an original Tiffany lamp, it will rub off the paint when you apply a cotton swab to the Glass.
Solder Lines
The other way to see the quality of craftsmanship in Tiffany Lamp is to check on its Solder lines. The Solder Lines in Tiffany Lamps are even, finely drawn, and polished. These lines are firm, typically plump, holding and supporting the shade and the artwork. While in low-grade Tiffany lamps, the solder lines are inconsistent- thin in some areas and thick in others.
Moreover, you can touch the Tiffany lamp and feel its authenticity because the original Tiffany Lamps have an even and smooth solder line with rational surfaces. And when you touch a cheap and unauthentic Tiffany lamp, you will not feel that satisfaction touching it. The solder lines of duplicate Tiffany Lamp are rough and can even cut your fingers if not paid focus.
Also Read: Best Rewiring Services NYC For Lamps And Light Fixtures
How To Identify Fake Tiffany Lamp?
The Tiffany Lamp costs a lot more than ordinary lamps. And many companies use low-quality materials to design these lamps to fool customers. Some of the fake Tiffany Lamps are so nicely made they look exactly like the original ones and fool even the great experts and collectors. Let’s review some features that can help you detect the fake Tiffany Lamp.
- Made of Low-grade Glass material, messy soldering and base, and poor craftsmanship.
- Applied antiquing to the Lampshade that easily can spot moving a Q-tip with Acetone by the Lamp’s Glass. While moving, there should be no transfer of color.
- Tiffany Lamps are old in appearance and should show the indications of old age. If there are no loose elements or cracks in the Lamps, it’s not authentic.
- The authentic Tiffany Lamps were die-imprinted before applying Patina, so if the lamp has fresh and uneven manufacturer’s marks, that is not a real Tiffany lamp.
Also, all the digits and letters must be of the same height and in a single row. And if the logo emerges without the text, it’s not the real one.
Types Of Tiffany Lamps Based On Placement
The Tiffany lamps are of various types and sizes and come for every room of the house. Different Tiffany lamps are designed for different places and the purpose of living spaces. Let’s read about the types of Tiffany Lamps based on their Placement.
Tiffany Floor Lamp
The Tiffany Floor Lamp is a classic-style regular lamp that attaches to a crest and faces downwards. This Floor lamp casts the light downwards and illuminates space to attract the eye. The lighter also hit off the light at the ceiling to produce a softer and wider reach of light.
Tiffany Table Lamps
The Tiffany Table Lamps are pleasant beauty elements with a downward-facing shade available in different styles to meet your preference. It is unlike other lamps that emit little or even no light into the space through the shade. In Tiffany Lamp, the shade is its prime feature, and the light is secondary, and it lights up the room’s background nicely.
It is a decorative element and can also be used as a Tiffany desk lamp or a study light when placed on a sideboard. The Tiffany Desk Lamp was purposely designed for library and study desks and came with a favrile Geometric Glass shade.
Tiffany Hanging Lamp
Tiffany Hanging Lamps are the pendants hanging on the ceiling to illuminate the space. These hanging lamps either face upwards or downwards. The downwards-facing Lampshade emits light directly into the area while upward-facing shades cast little or no light below and bounce more light off the ceiling to light up a room with an ambient glow.
Also, one should know the lower the lamp, the smaller the area it will glow up. These lamps feature similar unique patterns but are usually only 200 – 450mm tall.
Where To Buy A Tiffany Lamp Replica In New York?
If you want to give your living space an antique look, you can get the replica of Tiffany Lamp from Safety Lamps Repair. Our collection of Tiffany Lamps will give your place the 80’s look just like the original Tiffany Lamp. Visit our site to order your desired pattern of Tiffany Lamp, and contact us at 212-348-5267 or info@lampsrepair.com for related queries.
