| Louis Comfot Tiffany early in his career became | | | | between 1 and 9999. In about 1894 pieces began |
| very interested in the production of colored | | | | to be numbered with a letter prefix, followed by |
| iridescent, innovative art glass. In literature | | | | a number. This used letters between A and Y (no |
| published by Tiffany he stated that research in | | | | Z). For example in 1894 prefix A and B were |
| the development of these glass making | | | | used, !895 prefix C and D...until about 1905 with |
| techniques began in 1872 in New York. Tiffany | | | | prefix W and Y. In this early period roughly 2 |
| had enlisted the help of Italian trained Venetian | | | | letters were used per year. Following this a |
| glass producers who he hired. In 1878 Tiffany | | | | number followed by a suffix was used (rougly |
| established the firm Louis C. Tiffany & Co. | | | | one letter per year from 11906 to 1928). Some |
| which specialized in the creation of elaborated | | | | special notations including the use of X for |
| decorated interiors for very wealthy residential | | | | experimental, EX for exhibition, o(small) for special |
| clients and commercial institutions. One element | | | | order, A-COLL for pieces made for Tiffany's |
| which Tiffany incorporated in to the these | | | | personal collection. |
| projects were the use of iridescent glass tiles. | | | | Some of the types of glass that were produced |
| They were used as fireplace surrounds , in | | | | were Decorated Glass, Agate, Cypriote, Lava, |
| decorative screens and wall ornamentation. The | | | | Paperweight, and Aquamarine glass. |
| tiles were molded and made in various sizes with | | | | Decorated Glass was produced throughout the |
| different decorations. The colors of these tiles | | | | periods. The decoration could vary from several |
| included translucent opalescent and greens, | | | | small lines on a solid backgroud to complex "king |
| iridescent blues and golds, as well as solid colors | | | | tut" decoration where almost all of the surface of |
| such as blacks, reds and oranges with fabulous | | | | the piece was decorated with random swirled |
| swirls of color. Subsequently Tiffany produced | | | | lines. Some special styles of decoration include |
| additional glass tiles for use in lamps and | | | | peacock feathers with eyes, zipper decoration, |
| decorative objects. Some of these tiles included | | | | floral decoration with various types of stylized |
| scarobs, turtleback tiles, iridescent glass prisms, | | | | leaves and flowers. |
| and linenfold glass (which resembled folded linen). | | | | Cypriote Glass, which was probably inspired by |
| Between roughly 1892 and 1924 blown glass | | | | the appearance of ancient glass which had been |
| made into vases and bowls was produced by the | | | | unearthed after being buried for hundreds of |
| Tiffany Furnaces, in Corona Queens. People often | | | | years, and had taken on a roughened irridized |
| talk about three general periods of glass | | | | surface. The surface often had crater like |
| production. The earliest period which roughly was | | | | irregularities resembling the surface of the moon. |
| between 1892 and 1900 was the period where | | | | Lava Glass which is a dark bluish black background |
| the most experimentation was done both in form | | | | with applied three dimensional designs in gold which |
| (shape), color, and application and special effects | | | | simulated the flow of lava.. These are very rare |
| incorporated into the glass. The middle period was | | | | and valuable |
| the period where the bulk of the Art Glass was | | | | Agate glass, which was made to resemble agate |
| produced. The late period,which spanned between | | | | with many banded and shaped layered colors. |
| 1916 and the end of the company in the late | | | | Often these vases were faceted to created even |
| twenties was the period where more commercial | | | | more unusual effects with color. |
| and less innovative pieces were produced. Many | | | | Paperweight glass which was essentially |
| of the pieces produced in the period were made | | | | transparent glass with floral or geometric colored |
| in pastel colors. | | | | designs had been created internally to give the |
| Louis Comfort Tiffany was the artistic force and | | | | appearance that the design element was under |
| designer for all of glass. It has been stated that | | | | water or floating within the glass, like the |
| Tiffany would make very rough sketches for a | | | | paperweights we use on our desks |
| piece and his artisans would then use the concept | | | | Aquamarine glass which is similar to paperweight |
| to created a more complex and detailed rendering | | | | glass with internal decorations of often aquatic |
| of the piece, which eventually required Tiffany's | | | | subject matter like fish, which appear to be |
| approval before production was initiated. | | | | swimming in the glass. |
| In 1894 Tiffany registered his "Favrile Glass" for | | | | Cameo glass, which was a technique where when |
| trademark and patent purposes. The term he | | | | the glass was made one color layer was applied |
| coined actually did not refer to one color or type | | | | on top of another. In the finishing process the |
| of glass, but many different colors and textures | | | | design was created by cutting into the top color |
| of glass which he used in the production of his | | | | to reveal the underneath color cut in often floral |
| various products including windows, lamps and | | | | techniques. |
| decorative objects. | | | | In the collecting of Tiffany Glass size and color |
| Most of the early blown glass vases were not | | | | does matter. The most common color is gold, |
| signed. A paper label was applied identifying | | | | followed by iridescent blue and green. Rarer colors |
| production by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating | | | | include red, yellow , orange and black. Rarer |
| Company. In the earliest periods of production | | | | colors, more complex decoration and size |
| many pieces were numbered in sequence | | | | definitely impact on value. |