There are no more imaginative stained glass lamp bases than those created by Tiffany. Tiffany lamp base designs accent lamps in a variety of animal shapes, for example, cats, butterflies, turtles, snails, roosters, frogs, swans, lions, and peacocks.  Some of the lamp bases are constructed in whimsical shapes, fans, teapots, Christmas trees, fairies, and churches.

The stained glass lamp bases are made with particular color schemes that carry through the rest of the lamp design.   The colored glass is set between thick, black metal which gives the lamp base a mosaic look.

The shape of the lamp bases also vary.  If you compare two lamps by the same manufacturer side by side, right away you can see subtle variations in the color or hue of the glass.   Lamps with stained glass bases are handmade one of a kind designs.  Each one is a unique, functional piece of art.

Lamp bases made from stained glass are easy to maintain, and increase in value over time, making them a great investment for your home.  Stained glass lamp bases require just a soft cloth and some glass cleaner to clean.  To clean, just unplug the lamp and use the cloth to gently wipe off the stained glass lamp base.  Turning the lamp off first will ensure that the lamp is cool to the touch, and free from electrical current.

Louis C. Tiffany is the founder of Tiffany Lamps and Stained Glass Windows.  It was his original design of lamps being created from discarded stained glass from large windows he had created and designed.  But it wasn’t until Clara Driscoll, who went to work for Mr. Tiffany around 1988, that the most stunning and artistic lamps were created under her direction.

Clara Driscoll was born Clara Pierce Wolcott, 1861 in Tallmadge, Ohio.  Clara and her three sisters were bright and ambitious.  After their father died, Clara was 12; her mother encouraged her daughters to excel and to pursue higher education.  Clara excelled in art and design and attended design school in Cleveland.  She then moved to New York in search of better opportunities to use her skills.  She attended the Metropolitan Museum Art School and from there was employed by Tiffany Studios in 1988 and remained at Tiffany for 20 years.

Very little is known of Clara’s activities and duties in her early years at Tiffany, but after a series of events, Mr. Tiffany put Clara in charge over the Women’s Glass Department.  The department had formed out of a response that the Lead Glaziers and Glass Cutting Union had gone on strike.  The male only union had forced them to begin hiring young women students from the art schools.

This new direction had proved to be profitable.  The women were much more adept at handling the glass, more adept at the detailed work required to manufacture the lamps.   It was in this position that Clara’s designs became realities.  It was here she designed the now famous Dragonfly Lamp.  In one instance Mr. Tiffany attributed this design to Clara when it was on display at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900.  She worked closely with Mr. Tiffany, as both were inspired by a love of nature and appreciation of fine material.

Much of Clara’s influence and design’s was unknown until as recently as 2005 when Martin Eidelberg, professor emeritus of art history at Rutgers University, was approached by a man who claimed to be a descendant of Ms. Driscoll.   In his possession were letters written by Clara to her family around the turn of the 20th century.  Also, about this same time, independent scholar Nina Gray, who was working on a Tiffany book of her own, went to Queen’s Historical Society and found a treasure chest of numerous letters written by Driscoll to her sisters and mother while she was at the studio.

Through a series of co-incidental events, Eidelberg and Gray’s paths crossed.  Eidelberg invited Gray to dinner where they began to pull resources together and compare notes.  They each had established and realized that it was Clara Driscoll and her “girls” that had designed and made the most prized and stunning lamps.  Driscoll attributed the renowned Wisteria shade to herself as the designer, “all of which goes down to my credit, it being my design” in a letter dated March 16, 1905.

Through her letters we gain much insight into her life and influence as the head designer at Tiffany Studios.  We begin see the real mastermind behind the stunning designs and valuable lamps that are common in the reproductions of today.

About the Author:

Pat  Schroeder is the owner of TiffanyLampsMarket.com.  One of a kind, hand crafted, and hand cut, high heat hand soldered stained glass lamps.  No higher quality, factory fresh Tiffany Style Lamp available.  Visit www.TiffanyLampsMarket.com for all your Tiffany Style Lamp needs.  Free shipping and discounted pricing.

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A night light is a small source of light that offers comfort or convenience in the dark. Earlier people relied on long-burning candles kept in a fireproof metal cup and tealights for illumination during the night. But with the advancement of science and technology, they have been replaced by other products. Today electric lights, such as stained glass night lights have become the main source of light after dark.

The sense of security offered by night lights is one of the main reasons that they have always been used by people. Moreover, they are of great help to nyctophobics, who have a morbid fear of the dark. Decorative night lights also serve in reducing the fear of darkness, found commonly among children. Nightlights prevent you from tripping over stairs or obstacles by showing the layout of a room even without having to turn the main light on. Besides, they are also used to mark an emergency exit.

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