It is said that there is a fake Tiffany lamp for every authentic one in existence. It is also said that it is much much easier to tell a fake than to tell an original. Sound confusing? Here's why. During the time that Louis Comfort Tiffany ran the lamp making house there was no discernible mark that was left by the artists. You have to remember that each piece was handmade and some artists stamped their work while some remained blank. So it stands to reason that you have better odds in finding the markings of a fake. Here are a few examples of signature moves by fraudulent dealers.
The easiest way to age a piece is to make it look, well, old. A technique used is spray coating to make it look dirty. Time wears glass uniquely so you should be able to test easily to see if any antiquing process has been applied. Swab a cotton ball or q-tip with simple nail polish remover and wipe the glass. Nothing should wipe on to the cotton other than normal every day dirt. If it is black, than it is sprayed. Tiffany also used lead to hold the glass pieces together, which turns a deep dark grayish color as it ages, a Tiffany lamp should never be too shiny or bright.
You should also pay attention to the visual artwork on your piece. Tiffany worked with many artisans and everything was made by hand. These pieces will never have flawed soldering or less than superior standard glass. Also, check the base, if it feels poorly made, chances are that it is not made by Tiffany. Don't forget to tap the structure a little, realizing that over the years the craftsmanship may loosen and you may even see cracks in the glass. This is normal aging and stress from the heat of the light bulb. No cracks? For a lamp made between the 1890's and 1930's? That's an extremely lucky shade.
Now to the markings. Look at the base, the likelihood of a marking elsewhere is rare. Notice that on some an original Tiffany lamp would be marked TGDCO logo and TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK together. If there is one without the other it is a fake. Also the signature should have the same patina as the rest of the lamp. Tiffany would stamp the pieces and then apply the patina. Make sure they have full capitol letters, that's all Tiffany used. Lastly, watch for strange fonts and such, Tiffany only used sans serif letters unless it is marked with the TGDCO logo mentioned above then it is a serif font in its letters.
I hope we have shed some light on identifying a fake Tiffany lamp. You should remember that by using your trained eye you can identify most of these suggestions without opening your wallet.
This picture is faint but you get the idea. Good Luck and happy Vintage and Antique lamp hunting!
