Tiffany glass is the art glass designed and produced by the American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studios in New York from the late nineteenth into the early twentieth century. The term covers blown iridescent vases, leaded glass lampshades, stained-glass windows and mosaics, all characterised by rich colour, natural forms and inventive glassmaking techniques.
Tiffany began experimenting with coloured glass for windows in the 1870s and 1880s, developing opalescent and textured glass that could depict landscapes and figures without painting. In the 1890s he introduced Favrile glass, a range of hand-blown vessels with lustrous iridescent surfaces inspired by ancient excavated glass and the natural world. His leaded lamps, with shades designed as dragonflies, wisteria, peonies and other plants, became icons of American Art Nouveau, and many designs are now attributed to Clara Driscoll and other members of his studio. Genuine pieces are typically signed or marked, often L.C.T. or Tiffany Studios New York, though signatures are frequently faked and Tiffany-style lamps have been reproduced in vast numbers. Authentication by a specialist is essential for any significant purchase, as originals command very high prices.
