Above: Men fabricating Tiffany’s leaded-glass shades, ca. 1898.
From the January 1899 edition of “The Cosmopolitan” magazine.

 

The epitome of fine craftsmanship

Leaded-glass lampshades were first introduced at Tiffany’s studios in 1898. Their manufacture was a highly collaborative and labor-intensive process involving designers, glass selectors and cutters, glaziers, and more. From inception to completion, each shade passed through the hands of roughly a dozen different craftspeople, both male and female, and was a unique creation thanks to the individualized process of glass selection.

Foster a deeper appreciation of the beauty and complexity of Tiffany’s lamps by learning about the painstaking work that went into their production:

  • The process began with a watercolor sketch of a proposed design. Once approved by Tiffany, a wooden mold was made. The design was inscribed onto the mold and patterns were created as guides to cut the glass.
  • Each piece of glass was selected from a larger sheet. The glass selector faced countless options because every sheet of glass varied in color, shading, and opacity. After careful deliberation, the selector made a decision and with the pattern in place, handed the sheet to the cutter.
  • Using a glass-cutting tool with a diamond tip or metal wheel, the cutter scored and broke the glass so it matched the pattern. The shape was further refined using a pair of groziers, or soft-tipped pliers. After each piece was cut, it was affixed in place on an easel.
  • Once the cutting was complete, the edges of each piece of glass were wrapped in thin strips of copper foil, with a slight overlap on the front and back.
  • Lampshade assembly began by setting a brass ring on top of the mold. One by one, the wrapped pieces of glass were placed on the mold, brushed with flux, and soldered together using a hot soldering iron.
  • After all of the pieces were assembled, the shade was lifted off the mold, turned upside down, and solder was applied to the copper foil on the inside.
  • To stabilize the lampshade, a brass ring was soldered onto its bottom edge.
  • The final step in the fabrication process was to apply a patina, typically bronze or gold, to the silver solder lines.

 

Pieces of glass were selected, cut, wrapped in copper foil, and soldered together onto a wooden mold.
Pieces of glass were selected, cut, wrapped in copper foil, and soldered together onto a wooden mold.

 

After assembly, the shade was lifted off the mold, turned upside down, and solder was applied to the copper foil on the inside.
After assembly, the shade was lifted off the mold, turned upside down, and solder was applied to the copper foil on the inside.

 

The silver solder lines were patinized using bronze or gold.
The silver solder lines were patinized using bronze or gold.