Tiffany-inspired lamps a prized addition to any design scheme

"Imitation is the sincerest flattery." Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832), English cleric and writer, "Lacon" (1825).

Q: I love the Tiffany lamps and would like to have one in my home. However, and this is a big however, I believe them to be incredibly expensive. A friend told me recently that a lot of the lamps we see in stores are actually replicas. Can you offer suggestions on the purchase of these lamps?

A: Unless you are in a high-end antique salon or an auction house, anything you see in a retail setting is a Tiffany-style lamp, not an original. The original lamps were made only until 1932, the year before their creator, Louis Comfort Tiffany, passed away. Each piece carries the Tiffany mark on both the base and the shade.

Tiffany was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany & Company. You know the one — jewelry, jewelry and, of course, the legendary turquoise shopping bags, and "Breakfast at …".

Tiffany (1848-1933) was born into obvious wealth, traveled extensively, studied art in Europe and began his working career as an interior designer. He actually furnished a portion of the White House for President Chester A. Arthur.

Over the years, he explored other outlets for his creativity and, in 1896, introduced his famous stained-glass lamps, along with other handmade glass items, including glass mosaics, blown glass, ceramics, jewelry, enamels and metalwork.

So you are correct, if you wanted an original Tiffany lamp today, you would pay dearly for it, assuming you could find one that fit your needs and budget.

As a result of the popularity of the Tiffany style, many manufacturers produce Tiffany-style lamps, and they are available at many retail outlets at many different price points. So, while we can’t all afford an original, we can usually swing the price of a replica. They are usually referred to as Tiffany-style or Tiffany-inspired. You will see many different styles featuring the trademark stained glass, or some of the less expensive with pretend stained glass.

Some interesting facts have come to light about the production of the Tiffany lamps. Most people assumed that Tiffany designed all of the lamps. Apparently, he did not. Tiffany employed young, female artisans who were referred to as Tiffany Girls. They designed the majority of the lamps, especially after the initial offerings. I found this very interesting and, in fact, there is an exhibit at the New York Historical Society set to run through July 22.

So, if you’re in New York between now and then, stop in to see more of the history of the lamp and the Girls.

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park, Fla., houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Tiffany’s work, www.morsemuseum.org.

If you’re lucky enough to own one of the original Tiffany lamps, congratulations. What a prize. If you have access to the Internet, you can Google "original Tiffany lamps" to find antique dealers that specialize in his work.

On the other hand, if you don’t really care about the authenticity but like the look, shop around at your local stores. Interestingly, that style lamp can fit into almost any design scheme as an accent piece. You will find reproductions in abundance. Tiffany would be either really annoyed or very flattered.

Note to readers: Last week’s column was about bamboo flooring and the number of letters I received indicates that we really like bamboo floors. One question came up several times, and I’m sorry I didn’t address it then — "How do you clean and care for bamboo floors?"

Bamboo floors require little more than a damp mop or a padded cleaning head on your vacuum cleaner. One tip I found was not to use too much liquid on the floor. Wipe up spills as soon as possible, and refrain from using steel wool or a scrubbing powder so you don’t scratch the surface. Not only are bamboo floors practical, they’re easy to care for.

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home & Garden section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.