In Orlando, I didn’t really expect any art museums, as the city, to put it politely, has a different focus. However, the museum I visited was indeed a hidden gem. The Charles Morse Museum is largely dedicated to Tiffany lamps. Tiffany lamps refer to a style first created and made famous by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the elder son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the renowned owner of the jewelry firm Tiffany & Co.
The idea to create lamps came unexpectedly. When making stained glass windows, there was a huge amount of unused material. Not wanting to waste it, Louis Comfort decided to try creating something new and useful, which led to the first example of these lamps.
He was the first to come up with joining small pieces of colored glass using a narrow copper foil strip and lead came, thus creating the first lampshade in this technique.
And now, the museum is full of these original lamps and stained glasses. Check out the photos!
The business of the creator began to decline shortly before World War I. In 1917, Tiffany retired, allowing some of his employees to continue selling the products and furnaces for glassmaking. After his death (1932), the popularity of his creations significantly decreased. For two decades, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s designs were forgotten. Over time, Tiffany lamps regained popularity, and his works began to be exhibited in various museums; collectors were in constant search for these rarities. Many craftsmen, due to such demand, attempted to replicate the famous lamps, but it was nearly impossible. Today, the creator’s works are highly valued worldwide as modern-style designer items.
There were also exhibits unrelated to the Tiffany lamp technique. I’ll add them too, it’s all very beautiful.
In short, Orlando is not just about theme parks. Although, of course, I did see a park too — Disney Hollywood Park, where I attended a Maroon 5 concert.
Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 