Tiffany Lamp Auction Results
Why Sell Your Tiffany Lamp at Auction?
Rather than offering your Tiffany lamp for sale to only one individual or firm, the auction process ensures that your lamp will reach the largest market of potential buyers and bidding competition. Accordingly, all record prices set for Tiffany lamps have been at auction. Save time by letting us use our expertise to handle the consignment process for you. Our commission is a low, flat fee and we provide complimentary auction estimates, pick-up and shipping nationwide. Fontaine's Auction has a mailing list of over 30,000 customers, our own online bidding platform, and we utilize the top online auction platforms such as Live Auctioneers, Invaluable and Auction Zip.
Tiffany Lamp Auction | Consign & Sell Your Tiffany Lamp
If you would like to consign your Tiffany lamp to one of our Tiffany lamp auctions, please contact us for a complimentary estimate. As a dependable resource for all levels of the Tiffany lamp auction market, Fontaine's is your Tiffany lamp expert and has been featured in an article by CNBC and other notable publications.
We also consistently outpace market competitors and often command sales results close to or above our high estimates. Tiffany's iconic lamp designs are continually in demand worldwide, and our ability to reach customers all over the world ensures that you realize the highest price for your item(s).
To receive a complimentary Tiffany lamp auction estimate and authentication, use our simple auction estimate form. Simply submit images and other important details regarding your Tiffany lamp, and our specialists will review the information and contact you with a preliminary analysis. With no hidden fees and expert guidance, we can help you consign your Tiffany Studios lamp today.
If your Tiffany lamp is authentic and you decide you would like to consign it to Fontaine's Auction, we'll handle the entire process with no hidden fees. Our commission is a low, flat rate and is customized for each Tiffany item we offer.
What Is a Tiffany Lamp?
Tiffany lamps are a timeless, beautiful addition to any home decor. These lamps come from the creative mind of Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the founder of the luxurious Tiffany & Co. Tiffany, with his passion for glasswork, opened his own company — Tiffany Studios.
Tiffany's first lamp hit the market in the late 1800's and became a huge success due to its beautiful design, optimal functionality and superior craftsmanship. Authentic Tiffany lamps use bold colors, fun images like dragonflies and unique glass textures to bring eye-catching artwork into the home.
How Much Are Tiffany Lamps Worth?
Tiffany lamps can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to over $1 million. Each lamp is handmade, which increases its value. Additionally, Tiffany lamps are very rare, and no two lamps are the exact same.
Pricing can vary for each lamp depending on a few factors, such as the condition of the lamp and its rarity. While each lamp is custom, some lamps share similar motifs, which may impact their value. If you're interested in selling Tiffany lamps, some quick research on the lamp's motifs can help you estimate its value.
For example, this rare Tiffany Studios "Pond Lily" table lamp sold for $3.37 million. Other lamps with more common motifs, like the Tiffany Studios "Turtle-Back" Tiffany desk lamp, which sold for $21,250 at Fontaine's Tiffany lamp auction.
Of course, motifs are not the only determining factor when it comes to the value of a Tiffany lamp. Other factors, such as the overall condition of the lamp, can increase value. Using a trusted auction gallery can also help ensure your Tiffany lamp sells for the highest value.
Your Tiffany Lamp Experts
Fontaine's Auction has specialized in Tiffany lamps and other early 20th century lighting for over six decades. From authentication to value, appraisals and sales, we are your Tiffany lamp experts. Auctioneer and owner John Fontaine has been featured in a CNBC article and has offered free seminars and appraisals on Tiffany lamps and other 20th century lighting. The seminars have been alongside guest speaker Paul Crist of Paul Crist Studios, another Tiffany lamp expert and the author of the book Mosaic Shades.
How to Authenticate a Tiffany Lamp
Before selling a Tiffany lamp, you'll need to ensure its authenticity. While professional appraisals are the best way to ensure a truly authentic product, there are a few things you can look for to verify a Tiffany lamp's authenticity. Keep in mind there is no detail or aspect alone that can verify a real Tiffany lamp — multiple indicators must be present.
1. Research the Origins
Tiffany Studios lamps have appeared in auction houses, estate sales, art museums and for some lucky people, in small antique shops and flea markets. If someone has an authentic Tiffany lamp, they're not likely to let go of it easily. This is why these lamps usually originate from one owner. In some cases, the owners' children inherit the lamps and discover they've had a fortune sitting on their side table all along. If a lamp has had a single owner for its life span or has remained in the same family, it's likely an authentic Tiffany Studios lamp.
2. Tap for Loose Glass
Genuine Tiffany Studios lamps are all antiques. Since the studio halted production in the early 20th century, all real lamps are around 100 years old. Because of their age, the materials the artisans used will have broken down over time, resulting in loose parts. If you tap the shade lightly and feel or hear a slight shaking of the glass, it might be a genuine lamp. Reproduction lamps are newer and the materials are often more securely attached, meaning you won't hear the sound of loose glass when you tap the lamp shade.
3. Look for a Patina on the Tiffany Lamp Base
An authentic Tiffany Studios lamp is made with a bronze base, and over time bronze develops a beautiful patina. The patina on Tiffany lamps is a result of a chemical reaction, called oxidation, that causes the bronze to develop a film that's slightly brown or green in hue. While the change in color represents a slight degradation of the original metal, it is still a beautiful and desirable element of bronze artwork.
4. Identify Signature Tiffany Lamp Markings
There are various places to look for stamps and signatures to identify if a lamp is a genuine Tiffany Studios product. However, you have to know what you're looking at since the original studio altered the stamping and signature style throughout production. Some of the signature Tiffany Lamp markings include:
Capital Letters: A major factor is that authentic lamps should have all capital letters in their stamps; however, due to recent information, it is possible that lower case letters are present.
Maker's Mark: Another way to identify a genuine lamp is the look of the maker's mark. The marking includes the company name, "Tiffany Studios, New York" and some have serial numbers included. These numbers can be very important as they identify the model of the Tiffany lamp.
5. Tiffany Lamp Glass: Look for the Combination of Two Opals
Tiffany's artists determined that a combination of phosphate and fluorine was preferable in lamp design because it allowed the glass to have overall opacity while retaining the intensity of the floral colors. In examples, the phosphate opal remains essentially separate from the base glass, replicating smoke rising from a cigarette.
6. Identify the Tiffany Lamp Motif
Every Tiffany Studios lamp has a unique motif, and some were even custom designs. There are a few signature motifs the studio used in their designs, including:
Favrile Glass: While they’re known for beautiful mosaics, some of the first lamps Tiffany Studios ever produced were blown glass lamps. The studios unique favrile glass technique produced a beautifully pigmented, often iridescent glass shade.
Flora: A characteristic Tiffany Studios lamp is one with a floral motif. The glass used in the shades lends itself to beautiful colors and unique textures that resemble gorgeous flowers and elements of the natural world. Often, the bases of the lamp would correspond to the shade’s motif, with the tree-trunk style base being exceptionally popular.
Fauna: Animals also featured heavily in the lamp motifs. Creatures such as dragonflies, butterflies, spiders and even peacock feathers were the statement pieces on many lamps. Dragonflies were particularly popular, and in some lamps their wings actually came away from the shade to give a three-dimensional look.
Geometric: In addition to flora and fauna, designers took inspiration from geometric forms, creating intricate patterns in the glass using simple shapes like rectangles and squares.
Linenfold: A linenfold shade motif has paneled glass with a linenfold shape. This shape resembles geometric patterns, and these lamps often used larger panels.
7. Look at the Tiffany Lamp Base Components
The components are another way to identify the authenticity of a Tiffany Studios lamp. Genuine lamps will have a turn-paddle knob to turn it on and off, and very few may have a pull chain or switch on the base; however, it is common for sockets to be replaced throughout the years, so this is not a definite attribute. Older lamps might be oil lamps since electricity was a relatively new invention when the studio began producing the lamps. If it has any other type of fixture, the lamp is probably altered or a reproduction.
8. Check for Confetti Glass
Tiffany Studios used a variety of different glass techniques in their lamps. One style, called confetti glass, involves inserting small specks of colored glass to create a speckled, confetti look. If you want to know how to identify Tiffany stained glass, check for tiny specks of colored glass or confetti glass to help authenticate the lamp.
9. Look at the Color of Any Golden Glass Pieces
Tiffany Studios is known for making beautiful, rich colors and textures in its glassware. The gold coloring of Tiffany lamps is particularly unique and can point you to whether the lamp is authentic or a reproduction. Tiffany Studios lamps with this color will have a gold-colored glass with an amber sheen that's slightly translucent and occasionally has a shimmering effect.
Recent Tiffany Lamp Auction News
