Charles Lewis Tiffany

Charles Lewis Tiffany - Birth & Death Dates: Charles Lewis Tiffany was born on February 15, 1812, in Killingly, Connecticut. He died on February 18, 1902, in New York, New York.
Charles Lewis Tiffany - Background: In 1837, Tiffany and friend John Young opened a stationery store in New York City. They soon added jewelry and silverware to their inventory. The firm began to manufacture its own jewelry in 1848 and shortly afterwards opened a store in Paris.

Tiffany brought the term sterling to the United States when he adopted English silver standards in 1851. In 1853 he gained control of the firm and from that time forward it has been known as Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. - Important Events: In 1886 Tiffany & Co. introduced the " Tiffany Setting, " a 6 - prong diamond solitaire setting that allows the diamond to receive maximum light - - and produce maximum brilliance.

In 1887 Tiffany & Co. acquired some of the French crown jewels, an important acquisition that helped establish its reputation for selling quality and one of a kind jewels.

Tiffany also created the first retail catalogue in the United States.

Tiffany Investment Embarrassment: In the late 1800 ' s Tiffany was drawn into a scam by con man Phillip Arnold, overestimating the value of gems that Arnold fraudulently claimed were from a new mine. Many wealthy friends of Tiffany ' s invested in the scheme, which netted Arnold a great deal of money before the fraud was discovered.

Tiffany Family and the Decorative Arts: Son Louis Comfort Tiffany was a well known and talented jewelry designer, but is probably best remembered for his work with decorative glass. He is so well known for his glass that it is not uncommon for people to refer to all stained glass lamps as " Tiffany " lamps.