Favrile Glass Lamps: Tiffany trademarked the name "Favrile" to generically describe his production. The term means handcrafted and is associated with the first and simplest shades made by Tiffany. Favrile glass included several types of glass which Tiffany also used in the making his beautiful stained-glass windows as well as leaded and blown shades. Today, the term Favrile is meant to describe forms such as shades and other types of  "hollow ware" glass (such as a floriform vase).

Geometric Glass Shades: Tiffany's geometric shades are the group of leaded glass shades with the simplest designs, and this would include standard shapes such as squares, triangles, rectangles and ovals, used on the cone, panel glass, and globe-shaped shades. Unlike his blown (also often called "damascene") shades, Tiffany's geometric shades were made from pieces of poured glass which were cut in segments and edged with copper foil, then soldered together. A patina bronze finish or "rinse" was applied to the lead or solder lines to blend in well. Tiffany's geometric group can be split into two types: shades made from a limited number of large glass pieces, such as the famous and much sought after "turtleback tiles," and shades made from a large number of small glass pieces.

Floral Design Shades: The floral group is a combination or blend of both geometric and floral shades. It includes globe-shaped shades of basic geometric design with added floral, vine, and leaf motifs. The floral group is divided into two categories which are the shades with scattered floral or leaf patterns all over on geometric backgrounds, and the geometric shades with borders, called "belts" of flowers and vines. The latter shades are called "belted" floral shades.

Cone Shaped Shades: Floral patterns are used extensively in the cone shades. Cone shades are basically just straight sided with circular rims. They were much easier and cheaper to make than leaded shades with curved or rounded sides. As a result, there are a significantly larger number of shades existing that were made in this shape. Cone shades are also found in the "geometric group," but they are named by their design rather than their form. A very important design which Tiffany was fond of, which was often applied to the better cone-shaped shades, is the dragonfly. The dragonfly pattern was used more in the globe and "irregular" (see below) lower border shaped shades. It is highly desirable and often commands high prices in today's marketplace.

Globe Shaped Shades: The plainer, flowered globe shades were much more difficult and detailed in their construction than the cone shaped shades. The dome design or shape helped the artists working on those shades to create a much more realistic scene or "picture" of the floral and insect designs that were used. Globe shades can range in size from twelve inches to twenty-eight inches in diameter. They were always the choice for large floor lamps.

"Irregular Lower Border" Shades: These shades have a much more natural form, with their flowing, "serpentine" meandering rims. In this group of shades, you now can see a curved, irregular shaped lower border. Almost all of the shades used in the irregular border shade group are of the globe shape.

Irregular Upper & Lower Borders Group: These were the most sophisticated and complex shaped shades done by Tiffany's craftsmen. The shades have both irregular upper and lower borders. In this group the typical straight edge of the top of the shade opening (aperture) is replaced by an openwork "crown" which is made to look like tree branches. The top "finials" have been also been eliminated, and light and heat are vented out through the top crown. A good example of one of the finest of these shades is the Tiffany "Wisteria" pattern lamp shade. It is one of the most sought after and valuable of all the designs Tiffany ever produced, and as with most of his floral shades, it comes in various color combinations, from beautifully and intricately cut and positioned pale pastels, to rich, deep colored hues.