partment made a sizable profit. Under her guidance, the Tiffany Girls, asthey were called, could complete a handmade window, lampshade, andmosaic in less time and with fewer errors than the men. Tiffany believedit was because the women had more nimble fingers and better sensesof color and decoration. Every Monday he inspected the department’swork and rarely found fault. Clara was as fanatical about production details as he was. In Clara he had found a once-in-a-lifetime partnership.
After strained negotiations, all parties reached a settlement. Clarawas granted the right to continue to design lampshades and small luxury goods, but the number of women in her department was reduced totwenty-seven. The antagonism of the men toward Clara highlights hervalue to Tiffany, despite the fact that her twenty-year contribution as adesigner and collaborator went largely uncredited.
The Tiffany Girls at Midland Beach, Staten Island, 1905, the Charles HosmerMorse Museum of American Art, Winter Park, Florida, © Charles Hosmer MorseFoundation, Inc.
