Your grandmother's house had one. Warm light, jewel-colored glass, a bronze base with green-brown patina. It sat on the same side table for fifty years. Now it's yours, and you're wondering whether “Tiffany lamp” means anything beyond a description of the style.
It might. Or it might not. The name “Tiffany” gets applied to two completely different things. Tiffany & Co. is the jewelry store. Tiffany Studios was a separate company in Corona, Queens, New York, founded by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 1890s and closed in 1933. They made the lamps collectors actually care about. The two companies never had anything to do with each other.
The harder problem is that Tiffany Studios lamps have been reproduced continuously since the 1970s, and some of the copies are genuinely convincing at a glance. An authentic lamp has a solid cast-bronze base stamped “TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK” with a model number. The shade is built from individually hand-cut glass pieces, each wrapped in copper foil and soldered by hand, which means the solder lines are slightly uneven and the glass itself varies in thickness, color, and texture from piece to piece. Tap the shade gently near the rim. The glass on a real lamp doesn't rattle.
Reproductions use thinner glass, machine-cut pieces that fit too uniformly, and bases made of zinc, resin, or pot metal that feel noticeably lighter.The range of what's out there, and what it's worth, is extraordinary. A simple boudoir lamp at the accessible end starts around $5,000. A rare floor lamp can crack seven figures. Here are the specific pieces that move serious money.
Table of contents
- Tiffany Studios Favrile glass boudoir lamp
- Tiffany Studios three-light Lily desk lamp
- Tiffany Studios twelve-light Lily table lamp
- Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp, 16-inch
- Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, 16-inch
- Tiffany Studios Peony table lamp, 22-inch
- Tiffany Studios Nasturtium table lamp
- Tiffany Studios Peacock table lamp
- Tiffany Studios Poppy floor lamp, 26-inch Oriental Poppy
Tiffany Studios Favrile glass boudoir lamp
The most accessible entry point into authentic Tiffany Studios is the boudoir lamp. These small table lamps, typically 12 to 15 inches tall, feature blown Favrile glass shades rather than leaded panels. Favrile was Tiffany's term for his proprietary art glass, made with metallic oxides fused into the glass itself during production rather than painted on afterward. The result is an iridescent surface that shifts color as light moves across it.
The shades are signed “L.C.T.” or “L.C.T. Favrile” on the interior. The base carries the full “TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK” stamp with a model number. Common colorways include gold and amber with pulled feather designs, peacock blue, and Damascene patterns in silver and bronze tones. Clean, complete examples with original patina and no chips to the shade bring $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the pattern and the base style. The oil-lamp style base on early examples is among the most desirable. Any chip to the shade rim reduces value sharply. Re-patinated bases are worth less than those with original surface. These are the lamps most likely to surface at an estate sale still unrecognized for what they are, because they don't have the dramatic leaded-glass shades most people associate with Tiffany Studios.
Tiffany Studios three-light Lily desk lamp
The Lily lamp series is among the most distinctive things Tiffany Studios ever made. Instead of a single shade over a conventional base, the Lily lamp branches out from a central stem into multiple individual arms, each tipped with a small trumpet-shaped Favrile glass shade that curves downward like a flower. The three-light version is a compact piece, around 13 to 17 inches tall, and the one most likely to appear in a private home or storage room without the owner fully understanding what it is.
Each shade is signed “L.C.T.” and the base carries the full Tiffany Studios stamp. The shades should all be original and matching. Replaced shades, which are easy to source separately and much less valuable on their own, significantly reduce what a lamp is worth. The base patina should be uniform across the stems, dark bronze-green without stripped areas or obvious refinishing. Complete, original three-light examples with all shades intact and signed typically bring $8,000 to $18,000. The five-light and seven-light versions command more, and the twelve-light is a separate category entirely. Mismatched shades or a base with a replaced socket cluster reduce value meaningfully, so count the shades carefully and examine them against each other for color consistency.
Tiffany Studios twelve-light Lily table lamp
The twelve-light Lily is one of the most recognizable pieces Tiffany Studios ever made and one of the most frequently inherited without the heir realizing its value. The lamp branches from a sculpted bronze lily-pad base into twelve individual stems, each terminating in a small gold iridescent Favrile glass shade. When lit, the effect is close to candlelight, a warm cluster of glowing flower shapes rising from a naturalistic bronze base.
Every shade should be signed, either “L.C.T.” or with a full Favrile inscription. The base carries the Tiffany Studios stamp and a model number. Original patina on the base is critical. These lamps were made from around 1902 through the early 1920s and were expensive at the time, which means they were treated with care and tend to survive in better condition than working-class kitchen pieces. A complete twelve-light example with all original shades, original patina, and no replaced hardware brings $30,000 to $65,000 depending on condition and colorway. Missing or replaced shades reduce value significantly, because matching signed Favrile lily shades with the right colorway and period are difficult to source correctly.
Tiffany Studios Daffodil table lamp, 16-inch
The Daffodil is the overlooked workhorse of the mid-range Tiffany market. It doesn't carry the name recognition of Wisteria or Dragonfly, which means it occasionally surfaces underpriced relative to its quality. The shade features leaded daffodil blossoms in white, cream, and pale yellow against a green stem-and-foliage background, with the irregular lower border typical of Tiffany's naturalistic floral shades. The 16-inch version is the most commonly encountered size.
The shade number is 1497 on standard examples. The base is typically a ribbon column or onion-bulb library style in patinated bronze, both signed. Condition notes specific to this pattern: the white and pale yellow glass used for the blossoms is prone to heat cracks over time, which appear as fine lines visible when the lamp is lit. Tight heat cracks that don't shift or spread are tolerated by the market. Cracked or missing panels, broken leading, or replaced sections are not. Clean, signed, complete examples with a matched base bring $50,000 to $80,000. A signed shade alone, needing a correct period base to reach its potential, is worth less than half that. The lamp found in a relative's garage without its base is not worthless, but it needs the right match to realize full value.
Tiffany Studios Dragonfly table lamp, 16-inch
The Dragonfly is the most commonly encountered authentic Tiffany Studios pattern in the collector market, and also among the most faked. The design, attributed to Clara Driscoll who led Tiffany's female design team, features blue and green dragonflies with jeweled glass eyes arranged against a geometric mosaic background. The 16-inch shade is the standard size. The shade number for the 16-inch version is 1507, and the 18-inch is 1507-A.
Clean, complete 16-inch Dragonfly examples with original patina and a matched signed base bring $50,000 to $120,000 in the current market, with stronger glass quality and more intense color pushing higher. The Jeweled Dragonfly variant, where some of the insect's body segments use three-dimensional “jewel” glass cabochons instead of flat leaded pieces, is rarer and considerably more valuable. The Drop Head variant, where the shade has an unusual inverted profile, is equally sought after. Fakes of this pattern are rampant. A reproduction Dragonfly has machine-uniformity in the glass pieces, perfectly smooth solder lines, a lightweight base, and often no stamp or a poorly reproduced one. The glass itself tells the story: authentic Tiffany glass has internal color variation, texture, and depth that flat reproduction glass simply doesn't replicate.
Tiffany Studios Peony table lamp, 22-inch
The Peony is one of the most produced Tiffany patterns and one of the most frequently faked, which makes authentication both essential and relatively well-documented. The shade features large peony blossoms in pink, white, and red against a background of mottled green and blue glass, with complex interior tonal variation across each petal segment. The 22-inch version is more valuable than the 16-inch, and examples with intense pink glass and a deep blue background are at the top of the range.
Standard Peony shade mold numbers run from 1505 to 1510 depending on size. Because this pattern is well-known and widely faked, provenance matters more here than on some other patterns. A lamp from a documented collection or with auction history commands a premium. Clean 22-inch examples with original patina and a matched signed base bring $60,000 to $200,000 in the current market, with exceptional glass quality and rare colorways going higher. The record for a single Peony at auction exceeds $1.5 million for an elaborate variant with pink and red glass attributed to Clara Driscoll. Standard Peony examples are not in that category, but they are substantive pieces in strong demand.
Tiffany Studios Nasturtium table lamp
The Nasturtium is a pattern that serious collectors increasingly discuss alongside Wisteria. The shade features trailing nasturtium vines with vivid orange-red blossoms across a complex background that incorporates some of the most technically challenging glass types Tiffany Studios produced, including streamer glass, confetti glass, ripple glass, and drapery glass used together. The color intensity on a strong Nasturtium example is striking even by Tiffany standards.
The base matters here more than on most patterns. A standard library base produces a solid lamp; a rare mosaic tile base with Turtleback glass insets pushes the value into a completely different tier. A 22-inch Nasturtium on a Turtleback mosaic base has cleared $825,000. Standard Nasturtium examples with a library or adjustable base in clean condition bring $80,000 to $150,000, with stronger glass and rarer base configurations going considerably higher. Condition is especially important on this pattern because the thin, complex glass sections are vulnerable to heat cracks, and the color depends heavily on original glass integrity. Missing or replaced sections on a Nasturtium shade are visible immediately to any experienced eye and collapse the value.
Tiffany Studios Peacock table lamp
The Peacock is among the most visually dramatic patterns Tiffany Studios produced and one that has seen consistent price growth as collector competition intensifies. The shade replicates peacock feathers in leaded glass, with deep purple and lavender backgrounds grading through to emerald green and gold along the lower apron, each feather punctuated by a distinctive “eye” in contrasting color. Some examples include Favrile glass cabochons at the eye positions, which adds further value.
The rarest configuration has a matching Peacock base, cast with peacock feather details and glass cabochon insets, rather than a standard library base. A matched Peacock shade and Peacock base is among the most sought-after pairings in the entire Tiffany market. Results for the standard configuration range from $150,000 to $307,500 in recent trading, with a matched shade-and-Peacock-base example clearing over $300,000. Examples with the rare matching base and strong, saturated glass push higher. Faded or washed-out glass in what should be the deep purple zones significantly reduces appeal on this pattern, because color intensity is the whole point.
Tiffany Studios Poppy floor lamp, 26-inch Oriental Poppy
Poppy lamps come in several configurations, but the 26-inch Oriental Poppy floor lamp is the version serious collectors compete for. The shade depicts large, intensely colored poppy blossoms in red and orange glass with complex mottled stems and leaves, mounted on an adjustable floor lamp base. These were made for affluent residential and institutional settings and were expensive at the time of manufacture. Clean surviving examples are genuinely uncommon.
The 26-inch diameter makes condition inspection particularly important, because large shades carry more opportunities for heat cracks, replaced panels, or restored leading. Any restoration or replaced glass should be disclosed and verified by a specialist before any significant purchase. A clean 26-inch Oriental Poppy floor lamp with original glass, original patina, and no replacements brings $400,000 to $600,000 in the current market, with the strongest examples exceeding that range. A Poppy table lamp has also cleared $541,200 for an exceptional example. The range between a compromised example and a pristine one is enormous on this pattern, and specialist guidance matters before any sale or purchase decision.
