Dragonfly Tiffany Lamp Stained Glass Table Lamp

Buying Guide

Tiffany lamps are synonymous with the Art Nouveau period. The hundreds of stained glass pieces, hand fused using a copper foil or lead, the umbrella styled lampshades and the generous use of nature-inspired motifs.

It made for an intense bouquet of colors, unmatched in its elegance. It is no wonder then, that a century later, it continues to evoke the same response from collectors and connoisseurs.

One of the most popular ones is the Tiffany Dragonfly lamp, which features one of Tiffany’s most widely used motifs, the dragonfly against an array of stained glass.

But with technology came forgeries and almost 70% of the lamps that are labelled as Tiffany lamps today are reproductions or replicas. If you are out in the antiques market searching for an authentic Tiffany lamp, then here’s a brief guide on how you can separate it from the fakes.

Are there Tiffany stained glass floor lamps available?

Tiffany studios made both, floor lamps as well as table lamps with the dragonfly motif. One thing that was common between the two is the exclusive use of bronze for the base. In fact, the use of any other metal, like brass or copper for the base is an easy giveaway that it’s a replica.

In extremely rare cases, the studio used art pottery as the base for their lamps. But these lamps are incredibly rare.

Due to the high cost of bronze, Tiffany lamps have a lead ring placed in the hollow base that gives it some weight and prevents it from being knocked over accidentally.

How to assess the quality of the glass?

One of the reasons for the widespread popularity of Tiffany lamps was their stringent quality norms. They always used the highest quality mosaic glass or confetti glass. The latter is used extensively in their lamps and accent pieces.

Just tap the glass gently and check if it rattles. That usually occurs with authentic aged mosaic glass. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not authentic if it doesn’t rattle though.

How to verify the authenticity of a Tiffany stained glass table lamp?

Look for the stamp. Tiffany Studios always stamped their lamps with a ‘Tiffany Studios New York’ stamp followed by a number for the lamp. The stamp was either made on the base or on the lamp shade itself. Having said that, most forged lamps and replicas also carry this stamp.
Inspect the condition of the lamp. Bronze acquires a patina as it ages. It’s a given that every Tiffany lamp, no matter how well it is preserved will have a patina, which is nothing but a layer that forms over the metal. There might be other signs of aging as well, like faded color.
Find about the previous owner. The chances of the lamp being authentic increase manifold if it comes from a single owner, like an estate. Try to find out about the previous owner(s) of the lamp. If you are buying one from an antique store, ask for a letter of authentication or a guarantee.

All said and done, it is not impossible to find an authentic Tiffany lamp at a garage sale or an estate sale or just in an old attic of a Fixer upper that you brought. If that’s the case, then you’ve just hit the jackpot. Even the most poorly maintained Tiffany lamps command a six figure price tag at auctions.

Are there good replicas of Tiffany stained glass table lamps?

Let’s face it. Not everybody can afford a million dollars for an accent piece. If you are like most others, then there’s a huge collection of Tiffany lamp replicas to choose from. Some of them even mimic the age of the lamp with artificial patinas and minute imperfections. Go ahead and get one for your home by all means.

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