Authentic Tiffany Lamps - Many Good Forgeries Around!

Since the early 1960's when Tiffany lamps started to become more collectible and also more valuable, craftsmen began copying them in an attempt to fool the public and make money by deception. The good and talented forgers used and still use old glass, good "patination" techniques, old sockets and other parts and authentic looking stamp signatures or etched marks for leaded or non-leaded shades and bases. Forgeries can be bought from dealers - who either know or do not know what they have is a fake - or at estate sales, at "online auction sites," or at usually smaller auction houses who have no Tiffany lamp expert on staff.

Just to give you an example of how difficult it can be for all but the very educated and experienced to tell the difference, look at the three lamps below. Each is a nice looking floral authentic Tiffany Studios or "Tiffany style" table lamp. Can you tell which one, or two lamps are authentic Tiffany Studios lamps? In person it is easier, but each of the lamps below was "signed" and each even looked fairly good in person. With experience, looking at the glass, the interior soldering and the signature marks will enable an experienced collector to determine authenticity. If you are not sure, ask or pay an expert to help you, or pass it up unless the lamp comes with a 100% written money back guarantee of authenticity. Here are the photos to compare, below.

Nice looking...

Also nice looking...

Nice looking as well...

Which example (s) do you think are authentic? Numbers 1, 2, 3? Or more than one?

If you guessed that number one was an original Tiffany Studios lamp you would be incorrect. Not a bad copy, but not authentic. Number three is likewise not authentic, even though like the first example it has a "twisted vine" style base and vibrant colors and design. The authentic lamp is in the middle - number two. 

I see signed lamps daily in emails sent to me that are poor to good forgeries which people inherited or bought, thinking they were authentic. Some people paid a great deal of money and have no way to re-coup their losses. Other people were lucky and either inherited the lamp or bought it at a price where it is still a nice decorative lamp for their home.

So be cautious. Be very cautious. Generally, the more valuable the lamp model, the more likely it is to have been reproduced and passed off as the "real deal." 

More to come...

Dennis

Email Me

Visit My Website

LinkedIn

Google+  

Facebook

Phone: Toll Free (888) 663-0606  10 am - 10 pm EST Daily