Tiffanyart

Louis Tiffany was a man who lived from 1848 till 1933.

He started a company for interior maintenance and specialised in glass art. In the thirties during the Jugendstil you could not do without this glass technique in the modern interior. Tiffany designed a special type of glass, opalescent glass. This glass has an iridesend layer, that gives a mother of pearl appearance to it. By changes of light other color effects can appear. This type of glass was mainly used in mirror ornaments, window hanging pictures, lampshades and also jewellery. Using the Tiffany technique enable him to join small pieces of glass together. He developed the Tiffany technique. Using copper foil he bound the pieces of glass which could then be soldered together. To make round shapes, he used a mould. So the Tiffany lamps were created. This is one of the differences comparing it with leaded glass. Leaded glass is always flat

This is how the technique works: First of all you make a design or make a pattern on paper and choose types of glass and colours which compliment each other. You draw the pattern on the glass using a paint marker. After this has been done you can start cutting out the different pieces of glass and grind them to size on the grinding-machine. If all the parts fit well together, you can cover the sides with copper foil, and position on to the mould or on to the pattern. All the pieces of glass are temporary stuck on the mould or pattern with tacky wax, to keep them in the right position. Then the soldering starts. This is done by covering the copper foil with tin, creating the strength to keep the parts together. When the work piece is ready the tin gets a treatment with patina for the colour finish.

Especially the Tiffany technique gives you lot of options: lamps, mirrors window hangers, decorations, plant tubs, windows and even windows in doors can be very decorative.

Tiffany has one main disadvantage, it is not suitable for use outside. Leaded glass is more favourable for this. However over the years techniques were discovered so that it is possible to use it in the same way as leaded glass. There are companies who can make a Tiffany-window as a thermopane window, so you can use it outside.

There is also an easier technique you can easily do your self. I will try to explain it with drawings on the page tips