It seemed like everyone decided to tidy up and sort out their homes in 2020 – with many people finding damaged or dented Tiffany lamps in dusty corners, sheds and garages that they wanted to restore to their former glory. Of course, I was pleased to help bring these poor Tiffany lamp shades back from the brink to be enjoyed again.

Most of the lamp repairs involved table-top lampshades. However, one was for an Art Deco style stained glass wall light. The owners had taken it down to redecorate and it had come apart when they tried to put it back on the wall again.

I was able to reuse the existing stained glass front panel, as it had pulled apart at the copper foil seam, rather than the glass itself being broken. Wherever possible, I like to reuse the original glass if I can, to maintain the authenticity of the piece, plus sometimes it is hard to find a match for an old piece of stained glass that blends in well.

In this case, I began the repair by repositioning the piece of glass and reinforcing the inside with new copper foil and steel strips for extra strength. On the front, I replaced the torn foil and reinforced the broken areas with new foil, before soldering it all together and hiding the joins between the new repair and the old joints. The solder was blacked to tone in with the original colouring and the whole piece was cleaned before it was returned.

Sometimes, I find the original makers of Tiffany-style lamps have used very thin strips of foil, making them vulnerable to damage at these areas. I am confident that my repair has reinforced this lamp and made it stronger than it was before, and ready to provide joy to its owners for years to come.

I have several more Tiffany lamp repairs lined up in the studio ready to start in 2021. If yours needs help, you know where to come! And don’t forget that I also make original lampshades using the traditional Tiffany technique if you would like a unique, heirloom piece for your home.