Tiffany Lamp & Lighting History
Tiffany Lamps
Louis Comfort Tiffany was one of the greatest
painters and designers of American decorative art. He was born in
New York in 1848, the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany. Charles Lewis
Tiffany was the founder of Tiffany & Co. the highly regarded jewelry
retailer. Incredibly talented and creative, Louis Comfort Tiffany
enjoyed a remarkable career. L.C. Tiffany made his most impressive
mark on the art scene by designing stained glass windows, lamps,
mosaics and other fine decorative jewelry. Tiffany's work was
exhibited worldwide. At the turn of the 20th century Tiffany earned
several prizes, honors, and international status at the Universal
Exposition in Paris. Louis Comfort Tiffany was as skillful a
businessman as he was an artist. Prior to being named the first
Design Director of his father's Tiffany & Co. in 1902, he managed a
number of interior design firms and decorative art companies.
Louis Comfort Tiffany was incredibly innovative and
single handedly set the stained glass world on a new course. Tiffany
came up with an idea to amalgamate bits and pieces of discarded
glass thrown off from production of his stained glass windows to
form beautiful decorative lamps. Tiffany's diverse collection of
eclectic colors and techniques, known today as Tiffany glass,
continues to be in a class of it's own. Louis Comfort Tiffany was
heavily influenced by Japanese art forms in which nature was front
and center.
An artist by design
Louis Comfort Tiffany, a man of fine tastes, was a
very popular interior designer. He introduced his style and left his
mark in the U.S. by redecorating a number of private homes and
public spaces. Mark Twain, Cornelius Vanderbilt and, the
presidential White House are listed among Tiffany’s clients.
A Brief Timeline of The Life of Louis Comfort
Tiffany
| 1848 |
Louis Comfort Tiffany, the son of the
founder of Tiffany
and Co. jewelers (Charles Lewis Tiffany),
is born in New York City. |
| 1878 |
First business is launched, Louis C. Tiffany & Co.
First stained-glass figure window is produced. |
| 1885 |
Tiffany works with Thomas Edison to develop the
decorative
and stage lighting for the Lyceum Theater in New York City,
the
first theater ever to have electric illumination. |
| 1892 |
Tiffany establishes his first plant, Tiffany Furnaces,
in Corona, NY. |
| 1893 |
Two large-scale Tiffany light fixtures are on display at
the
World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. |
| 1894 |
Trademark for the Favrile-glass is registered with the
United States Patent Office. |
| 1899 |
The first important exhibition of Tiffany products is
held in
London. Show includes blown-glass vases and bowls, pendants
for
electric lights, lamp and candle shades. |
| 1899 |
The first Tiffany lamp with a heavy bronze base is
introduced.
Patterns include the nautilus, dragonfly and Tyler scroll. |
| 1900 |
First electric Tiffany table lamp exhibited in Paris. |
| 1902 |
Company name is changed to Tiffany Studios. |
| 1904 |
New line of pottery, copper enamels and jewelry is shown
at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. |
| 1906-1916 |
A large number of gift items are added to the line,
including jewelry boxes,
cigar boxes, picture frames, planters, spun metal dishes.
Retailers carrying these items include Marshall Field's
Neiman Marcus and Shreve's. |
| 1913 |
Company introduces a new kind of glass, Tiffany
linen-fold,
which is used exclusively for lamp shades. |
| 1919 |
Louis C. Tiffany retires from active participation in
his
company, but retains title of President. Tiffany Studios'
sumptuous
building on Madison Ave. in New York is vacated. Tiffany
returns to
his early love, oil painting, and devotes time to
establishing the
Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation. |
| 1933 |
Tiffany dies at age 85. |
Tiffany and Tiffany & Co. are registered trademarks of Tiffany
and Company.
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