Skip to content
eLofe
Catalogue

Craft

Four steps that cannot be rushed

A Tiffany shade cannot be cast in one piece. It is built from separate pieces of glass, the way it was done in Louis Comfort Tiffany’s workshop a century ago.

  1. 01

    Hand-cutting

    Every piece is cut by hand to a template, then the edge is ground smooth.

    Cutting coloured glass by hand with a glass cutter along a template
  2. 02

    Copper foil

    Edges are wrapped in adhesive copper tape — the base of the future seam.

    Wrapping the edge of a glass piece in adhesive copper foil
  3. 03

    Assembly

    Pieces of different shapes are laid into one pattern over a three-dimensional form.

    Laying the foiled pieces into the pattern on a working template
  4. 04

    Soldering

    Seams are soldered with tin: the shade gains rigidity and its distinctive relief.

    Soldering the seams with a soldering iron

Illustrations of the production process

A 40 cm table lamp takes one craftsman an entire working day.

What it comes out as