Following up on the question of whether a “nappy” is Tiffany or Steuben and prior comments in Gazettes #1090 and 1091 we have the following. First, from Tommy Dreiling who started this all by questioning an eBay listing with Tiffany markings and whether it was Tiffany or Steuben.

Hi – Well I learned something!!! I’ve never seen that shape in Tiffany before and really thought that the glass looked more Aurene that Tiffany Iridescent. – Tommy

Next, we heard from Dick Stark of Bethesda, Maryland

I’ve had a dozen or so of those tiffany and Aurene nappy’s over the years…they come in blue or gold…. the tiffany ones are more graceful as seen in the one illus. if I recall the Aurene is smaller than the larger of the two tiffany sizes.

Then Leigh A. Demorow comments.

Alan, I will go with Bruce Orr on this piece. Darrah Roberts tells in his great book “Collecting Art Nouveau Shades” more about how to tell the difference between makers when the shape is the same. This book is a must for all art glass collectors. I’ll say that the iridescent on this piece is definately Tiffany and unlike Carder Steuben.
Leigh A. Demrow
Janesville, Wisconsin

Nex, from Marshall Ketchum

Alan

I found it interesting that if you look at the area opposite the Tiffany signature on the foot of the piece Tommy referenced you will see that it appears that the iridized layer has been ground off and probably some of the glass too. I assumed that someone ground off the Steuben signature before they added a forged Tiffany signature.

Marshall

Finally, from Gerry Eggert of Rochester, New York

Alan,

The nappy has the “Tiffany” look, down to the softness of the finish. The softness of the finish separates Steuben from Tiffany. That’s why there are serious collectors of Tiffany, as well as Steuben. There has to be something Tiffany did different in the formula and/or in the finishing of the Favrile line.

Gerry