How Much Is a Tiffany Lamp Worth?

The word Tiffany is used loosely enough that most people who believe they own a Tiffany lamp own a reproduction, and the price difference is between a few hundred dollars and several hundred thousand. Authentic lamps were made by Tiffany Studios in New York between roughly 1895 and 1930, using hand-selected favrile glass and bronze bases, and they are marked on both the shade rim and the base with Tiffany Studios New York and a model number. Reproductions range from cheap modern imports with plastic or thin machine-cut glass to high-quality period-style lamps by other makers such as Duffner and Kimberly or Handel, which are genuine antiques in their own right and worth thousands. The variables that determine an authentic lamp's value are pattern rarity, glass quality and color, base design, and condition of the leading. Dragonfly, Wisteria, and Peony patterns lead, and exceptional examples have exceeded a million dollars at auction.

Authenticity is the entire question, and everything else is secondary. Genuine Tiffany Studios lamps carry stamped marks on both shade and base with matching model numbers, use favrile glass with visible internal variation and iridescence, and have heavy cast bronze bases with a distinctive patina. Pattern rarity is the primary driver among authentic lamps, with complex naturalistic designs like Wisteria and Dragonfly at the top and simple geometrics at the bottom. Glass quality within a pattern varies because shades were assembled individually, and exceptional color selection commands premiums. Condition of the leading matters greatly, since lead lines fatigue and sag over a century, and replaced glass panels are detected by color and texture mismatch. Base and shade must be an original pairing, and married lamps assembled from unrelated parts are worth far less. Provenance and auction history add real value at the top.