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Clara and Mr. Tiffany

by Susan Vreeland (Goodreads Author)

3.56 of 5 stars 3.56 · rating details · 6,927 ratings · 1,166 reviews

Against the unforgettable backdrop of New York near the turn of the twentieth century, from the Gilded Age world of formal balls and opera to the immigrant poverty of the Lower East Side, bestselling author Susan Vreeland again breathes life into a work of art in this extraordinary novel, which brings a woman once lost in the shadows into vivid color.

It’s 1893, and at the...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published January 11th 2011 by Random House (first published 2010)

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Historical Fiction 2011

16th out of 115 books — 582 voters

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier

Art & Artists in Fiction

35th out of 305 books — 485 voters

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Feb 05, 2011 Gail rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

The entire time I was reading Susan Vreeland's "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" I couldn't get out of my head that Clara Driscoll's ties to her boss, Louis Comfort Tiffany, reminded me a lot of another relationship that has so captured my attention——and that's Don Draper and Peggy Olsen.

Leave it to a Mad Men fan girl to make a connection like that, but this novel paints a picture of the relationship between its two protagonists that's a precursor of sorts to its 1960s fictional counterpart. There was an...more The entire time I was reading Susan Vreeland's "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" I couldn't get out of my head that Clara Driscoll's ties to her boss, Louis Comfort Tiffany, reminded me a lot of another relationship that has so captured my attention——and that's Don Draper and Peggy Olsen.

Leave it to a Mad Men fan girl to make a connection like that, but this novel paints a picture of the relationship between its two protagonists that's a precursor of sorts to its 1960s fictional counterpart. There was an excerpt in particular, in which Clara's desperately seeking Tiffany's approval for her prowess on the job, where it seemed an especially apt comparsion:

"When you look at me, don't you see more than a design machine? Don't you see a woman with more than one passion? Don't you see my adoration for you? .... I ached to ask him these things, but I didn't dare. I didn't want him to think I wanted romance. What I wanted would have to be a finer union than any romance I'd ever known."

That's Clara there, but, for those of you who are fellow fans of Ms. Olsen, it could have just as much been Peggy, no?

Pop culture comparison aside, "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" tells a fictionalized account of the life of Clara Driscoll, designer for Louis Comfort Tiffany (he of the glass line; his father of the Tiffany jewelry emporium) who, in the early 1900s, is arguably believed to be the woman behind Tiffany's most memorable creation—-the Tiffany lamp.

Because Tiffany does not allow the women who work for him to marry, Clara faces the inner struggle of whether to choose the love of her craft and the pursuit of her career over the desire to spend her life with someone ("someone" taking on the role of several men in her life who appear in the novel).

Vreeland keeps the action of the book tightly focused on the turn of the century—the 15 years or so when the Art Nouveau style was at its peak (and provides a fascinating look into the lives of the Tiffany family——I had to do a bit of Wikipedia research after reading about them because I wanted to learn more). Along the way, Vreeland cannot help but incorporate the other major happenings in New York City into the lives of her characters——be it the opening of NYC's first subway line, the first dropping of the Times Square ball at New Year's, or the erection of the Flatiron Building, all of which make for exciting passages in the book.

Overall, I loved the idea of this novel even if,at a few points during its reading, the writing fell a bit flat. (These thoughts often accompanied Vreeland's descriptions——through Clara's eyes——of the process of glass-making and the painstaking assembly of the company's mosaics and lamps; it's complex stuff to have to describe, so I can't entirely fault Vreeland for feeling as such about the material).

Overall a pleasant read and a powerful one for women, especially those of the independent variety. And another wonderful example of how this author finds the most fascinating stories to tell in the world of the arts.

******************************
True story --- when I was in college, for one of my classes, I had to read Vreeland's "Girl in Hyacinth Blue". I loved it. So much so, I decided to write and tell her as much (something I'd never done before with an author whose work I enjoyed.)

I've kept her response all these years, in part which read: "Read much, my dear, and keep notes of your reading. The best writing comes out of love, the source of all good work, coupled with curiosity, receptiveness and a willingness to walk down the path of "what if...?" Blessings, Susan

Can you see why I love her?! (less)

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Jun 24, 2011 EZRead eBookstore rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: amelia-reviews

The woman behind the glass – that is what Clara Driscoll could be referred to. Though there is no certainty that Clara was the innovator for the Tiffany lampshades, that is the assumption made for the purpose of this book.

Here’s a heads up, beauty is NOT is not found anywhere on the inside in this book. With the subtle acts and comments of ignorance, I have to ask, is Clara blinded by beauty? She is portrayed as choosing art over love and even comments that death could be beautiful, in the right...more

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Apr 22, 2011 bonny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, audio

While I did learn a bit about Tiffany Studios and Clara Driscoll, this book was far too much like an overwrought and overwritten soap opera for my taste. Clara Driscoll's life, story, and accomplishments could have been much more interesting in a different author's hands, but this Clara weeps, wails, and waits - for acceptance and recognition from Louis Comfort Tiffany, and for love (from LCT?) but doesn't seem to know what to do when she receives what she has been seeking. All in all, this Clar...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Wendy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, history-based-fiction, gave-up-reading-and-skimmed

Sometimes I really like Susan Vreeland, sometimes she just doesn't do it for me. I think she is at her best when she manages to get inside her characters' heads to show what art means to them or what inspires people to create. I just wasn't getting that from this book.

I loved the idea of the story, showing how women made the beautiful Tiffany glass creations while Mr. Tiffany got all the credit. But the book is full of clunky dialogue explaining the process of working with glass and summing up p...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Elizabeth Sulzby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicalfiction

I've loved all of Vreeland's books and each is a treasure of characters and of art. Each is very distinct. Luncheon of the Boating Party is a masterpiece--it kept me turning back and forth from the progress on the painting in the story to the painting itself. Her writing is excellent and her stories keep you thinking so you can savor it more and not read too fast.

Thanks to other Goodreads Friends who let me know Clara and "her girls" are historical figures in the era in which Vreeland puts them....more

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Apr 11, 2013 christa rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the late 1800s, the Tiffany name was not only associated with jewelry, but was also beginning to get a bit of a reputation for its stained-glass designs -- the whim of the elder Mr. Tiffany’s artistically-inclined son, Louis. He had the wherewithal to build an entire department of people making intricate and creative glass creations -- windows, lampshades, mosaics. And some of these creations, in fact the cleverest of the clever, were made by women. Specifically, one Clara Driscolll -- that’s...more In the late 1800s, the Tiffany name was not only associated with jewelry, but was also beginning to get a bit of a reputation for its stained-glass designs -- the whim of the elder Mr. Tiffany’s artistically-inclined son, Louis. He had the wherewithal to build an entire department of people making intricate and creative glass creations -- windows, lampshades, mosaics. And some of these creations, in fact the cleverest of the clever, were made by women. Specifically, one Clara Driscolll -- that’s Mrs. Driscoll to you -- who re-imagined what she saw in nature to create original designs for her money-is-no-object boss.

In “Clara and Mr. Tiffany,” Susan Vreeland returns to her niche -- the imagined life of art sorts -- and considers the right-hand woman behind some of the company’s award-winning designs. Truth is: Neither the men, nor women, who worked for Louis Tiffany necessarily got credit for their work. Clara Driscoll’s roll in all of this has only come to light in the past decade-ish, which gives Vreeland a very fresh area for well-researched fan fiction about this woman.

Clara had been working for Mr. Tiffany before she married Francis Driscoll, a much-older and impotent dude who died and left everything to a nun, rather than his wife. While Tiffany was cool with employing women, if the woman on his payroll had plans to get married she was done-zo. So, newly widowed, Clara returned to the shop to start up again. She also takes a room in a co-ed boarding house filled with eccentric art-types and throws herself into her work. She and Mr. Tiffany develop a chaste, albeit symbiotic relationship and really dig an artistic brain jam and the expensive ideas they produce. Meanwhile, Clara has between 20-30 women working for her and she takes a maternal interest in their growth and well-being. There is also a side story of an ill-fated romance with the brother of one of the boarders.

At the same time, New York City is just bursting with new stuff like the statue of liberty, explosive ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve, the subway system, and, in the most charming moments of the story, Clara learning to ride a bicycle. This doesn’t mean it’s an easy time to be a woman. There is unrest with Tiffany’s male employees, who are threatening to strike if something isn’t done about the confounded woman who keep showing them up. Clara’s department isn’t getting any help from the company’s accountants, either. Turns out it’s spendy to create these bursts of inspiration and that there isn’t necessarily a market teeming with rich folks who want to buy them.

“Clara and Mr. Tiffany” is a super fun look at an interesting era. Clara is surrounded by a great cast of characters: Immigrants, gays, loose women, an unstable romantic partner and brutes. She manages to balance an archaic sense of what it means to be a polite woman while also being a crusader for women’s rights. But the story gets a big bogged down by huge descriptive sections about the process of creating these artistic pieces. And this process is repeated over and over every time Clara becomes smitten with a new idea. It’s too much inside baseball about such a specific topic. (less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 5 of 5 stars

This week I read Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland. The novel is based on an exhibit at the New York Historical society and its fascinating catalog, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls. Clara Driscoll was a detailed letter writer like many of her Victorian contemporaries, and this allowed Susan Vreeland to piece together Clara's amazing story.

In 1893 Loius Comfort Tiffany shocks the world with his innovative stained glass windows in the White City at the World's Fa...more This week I read Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland. The novel is based on an exhibit at the New York Historical society and its fascinating catalog, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls. Clara Driscoll was a detailed letter writer like many of her Victorian contemporaries, and this allowed Susan Vreeland to piece together Clara's amazing story.

In 1893 Loius Comfort Tiffany shocks the world with his innovative stained glass windows in the White City at the World's Fair in Chicago. Tiffany is not the business man his father is, but he is a visionary for a new art aesthetic. A large part of this book describes the painstaking process of making stained glass mosaics, lampshades, windows, and other items from concept through completion. As an artist, I am fascinated about the process, but I wonder if other readers might get bored with it. Tiffany owns his own glass factory in Queens, and the process always begins with the gorgeous and varied glass. At the Tiffany studios, the women's division, led by Clara Driscoll, design almost all of the stained glass lampshades. Tiffany runs a tight ship, and doesn't allow any of the women to continue to work for him once married. Clara leaves him when she marries only to return to the company once widowed.

The story is told from Clara's point of view, and I find her to be a complex and lovable character. She wears so may hats in the novel: artist, leader, lover, progressive, friend, advisor, manager, and encourager. Clara is definitely an encourager to everyone in her life, and this is what I love most about her. Clara was never given credit publicly for her beautify designs, and this breaks my heart because according to her letters, she never allowed discouragement to affect her love for art. After several complicated relationships with men (most of them platonic) Clara must decide whether to remain with Tiffany's or choose a different path for the love of a good man.

I highly recommend this book. Another thing worth mentioning about the book are the many quotes of Walt Whitman poetry. I loved this about the book, but I could have done without the Dickinson. I know that America only produced basically two decent poets during the nineteenth century, but only Whitman was genius. When I taught Dickinson to high school students (I had to as it was part of the curriculum) I always brought in a recording of The Yellow Rose of Texas because all of her poems can be sung to the tune of it. I really don't think that an intelligent, creative woman like Clara would have really appreciated Dickinson. Sorry for the digression and commentary! ;P
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Jan 28, 2013 Book Concierge rated it 4 of 5 stars

Audio book performed by Kimberly Farr

This is an interesting historical novel that tells the story of the woman behind (and in many ways WAY in front of) the man.

Clara Driscoll was a woman of artistic vision. It was she who first thought of using nature themes in stained glass lamp shades. It was her dragon-fly lamp design that won an award at the 1900 Paris World Fair; the newspapers reported the award was won by Louis Comfort Tiffany, but her name was listed as designer.

Vreeland crafts a find...more Audio book performed by Kimberly Farr

This is an interesting historical novel that tells the story of the woman behind (and in many ways WAY in front of) the man.

Clara Driscoll was a woman of artistic vision. It was she who first thought of using nature themes in stained glass lamp shades. It was her dragon-fly lamp design that won an award at the 1900 Paris World Fair; the newspapers reported the award was won by Louis Comfort Tiffany, but her name was listed as designer.

Vreeland crafts a find novel that brings the reader into the world of these artists and artisans. We are immersed in the sounds, smells and sights of New York City, circa 1892 to 1908. This was a time when women’s rights were hotly debated, and Clara Driscoll and her “Tiffany Girls” were in the middle of the maelstrom. Due to Tiffany’s policy of not hiring married women (he felt their dedication to the art and the work would suffer), Clara essentially set aside her own personal life for the chance to explore the boundaries of her creativity. Under her management the Women’s Department achieved major success.

This is a novel, however, and needs some personal tension to hold our interest. Vreeland admits to some need for embellishing details of Clara’s personal life, but the novel’s major characters were all real people – the artists, friends and influences in Clara Driscoll’s life. Vreeland was fortunate to be able to read and study Driscoll’s correspondence, passed down to her heirs and carefully preserved by archivists and conservators. They formed the framework on which the novel was built, and that note of authenticity makes it all the more enjoyable. Vreeland gives us a Clara that is passionate about her art and her work, independent and courageous when standing up to bullies, vulnerable and conflicted about whether to choose love or her life’s work. The Clara Driscoll on these pages shines with all the vivid color of the most glorious Tiffany window or lamp. I’ve read other books by Vreeland, and as with the others, I find that her writing results in a change in how I look at things. Her novels awaken in me a desire to seek beauty in my surroundings … whether the delicate lace wings of a dragonfly, or the infinite shades of white and gray in a winter landscape

Kimberly Farr does a very good job on the audio book. She has a good pace and enough skill with dialect and voice inflection to differentiate the many characters.
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Jan 17, 2013 Carolinecarver rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book, but if I hadn't been listening to it on a trip, I would have put it down after the first chapter. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a fine collection of Tiffany and many are designed by Clara Driscoll, so I was curious about Tiffany and the women who designed for him. Plus, who could go wrong with the setting: New York and the Gilded Age contrasted with the Lower East Side, one world hardly cognizant of the other.

But, and it's a big but, here is an example of the...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Cleo rated it 4 of 5 stars

"It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows that he hopes will earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division, who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany will long be remembered. Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her...more "It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows that he hopes will earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division, who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany will long be remembered. Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces a strict policy: He does not employ married women. Ultimately, Clara must decide what makes her happiest—the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart." This was a really interesting book about a little-known woman who contributed a lot to the world of stained glass. I really loved the luminous descriptions of the stained glass that Clara creates, as well as just beauty in general. Clara and Mr. Tiffany does have a pretty typical plot (a woman in late 19th century must decide between marrying and having a job), but it was made unique by the artwork that Clara creates. And of course, I was really mad that she didn't get any credit. Clara was a real person, and it was great that she finally got credit (though too late for her to witness) for the things that she created. The relationships between her and the other girls working at Tiffany's is interesting, as are the men that she meets. I really liked the cover too.

Susan Vreeland has written many other novels also about real artists and paintings, including Luncheon of the Boating Party, The Forest Lover, and Girl in Hyacinth Blue. I'll definitely be reading some of those in the future.

All of my reviews can be read at my blog (www.novareviews.blogspot.com).(less)

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Dec 06, 2012 Stacy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Stacy by: Marilyn via Linda

Incredible! Not only was this a book about people I knew nothing about, it introduced me to a whole era in which women artists and craftspeople had a forum in which to express themselve. They could also earn a decent wage in a time when many of them could only find piece-work to keep their heads above water. I was so fascinated with Clara's story that I had to know more and fortunately could do that without leaving my own computer. (I was interested to find that Tiffany's first wife was a Goddar...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Bookreaderljh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

I love historical novels as I always seem to learn something while enjoying a good story. This book was no different. I learned more about how Tiffany made his wonderful lamps and windows and the people behind the beautiful design. I am fortunate to be able to visit the Morse Museum at least a couple of times a year and next time I will be looking for Clara's contribution to the wonderful items displayed there. The book is an ode to artistic creativity but also women's rights (or not), the innov...more

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Nov 30, 2012 AV8R rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-art-fiction

Susan Vreeland, author of The Passion of Artemisia: A Novel and Girl in Hyacinth Blue, once again stuns with Clara and Mr. Tiffany. The novel focuses on the Women's Department of Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company and their role in the development and production of the leaded glass lampshades that would propel Louis Comfort Tiffany to fame. The novel covers 1892 - 1908, when Clara Driscoll returned to work for Louis after the death of her husband (Tiffany's policy was that only unmarried women...more Susan Vreeland, author of The Passion of Artemisia: A Novel and Girl in Hyacinth Blue, once again stuns with Clara and Mr. Tiffany. The novel focuses on the Women's Department of Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company and their role in the development and production of the leaded glass lampshades that would propel Louis Comfort Tiffany to fame. The novel covers 1892 - 1908, when Clara Driscoll returned to work for Louis after the death of her husband (Tiffany's policy was that only unmarried women could work for him so that their devotion to art was undivided).

Clara has long been attracted to Louis's artistic visions and over-the-top design plans, which seem fueled in part by his longstanding artistic feud with his father Charles, founder of Tiffany and Co. jewelry. However, as a woman, she's a second-class citizen at Tiffany, and Louis is one of her few allies in approving designs for extravagant leaded glass lampshades that the accountants wish to shelve forever due to their high cost. Clara is directly responsible for the well-being of the thirty or so girls that work for her, many from poverty-stricken immigrant tenements.

Recently widowed, Clara moves to an eccentric boarding house inhabited by a variety of bohemians. It becomes her refuge when the changing winds at Tiffany threaten to blow apart what she worked so hard to accomplish. She finds herself in several other relationships along the way, along with a newfound sense of social consciousness. The more her Women's Department advances, the angrier their male counterparts become, until an inevitable confrontation occurs that puts their livelihood at risk.

Vreeland does a commendable job at depicting turn-of-the-century New York, with its technological advances tempered by the squalor of the immigrant tenements and the brutal working conditions that many toiled under. However, the story becomes bogged down at points with seemingly unnecessary side plots, such as the murky fate of one of Clara's beaus, whose abrupt departure from the story is resurrected at a later point (the whole side plot felt rather forced). Most importantly, Clara and her Tiffany Girls are given a voice, in large part through writings inspired by several caches of Clara's actual letters that were discovered recently.

Vreeland's descriptions of the painstaking labor required to construct stained glass works (glass selection, cutting, and assembly) and her luminous descriptions of the completed projects, the various characters that fill Clara's personal and professional life, and the challenges of working as a female artist at the end of the Victorian era make "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" an engrossing read.(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Anne Broyles rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved learning about Louis Comfort Tiffany's studio and how many people assisted in the design and execution of his famous stained glass windows, lamps and other household items. This novel is based on the life of one of Tiffany's designers, Clara Driscoll, and the author had prodigious amounts of letters and other documents from Clara so she could include tiny details of the artist's life. I often felt burdened by Clara's life, which felt soap-opera-ish even though Vreeland brought to life so...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’ve always thought Tiffany lamps and his other glass pieces were gorgeous. I love the idea of blending art with functional pieces in your home. That’s the main reason I was interested in reading this.

We see the world of Louis Comfort Tiffany through the eyes of one of his top designers, Clara Driscoll. She struggles to find equal footing in a man’s world. Even though she’s a talented designer, she is never given the same credit or respect for her work. The unfair rules and regulations that wom...more I’ve always thought Tiffany lamps and his other glass pieces were gorgeous. I love the idea of blending art with functional pieces in your home. That’s the main reason I was interested in reading this.

We see the world of Louis Comfort Tiffany through the eyes of one of his top designers, Clara Driscoll. She struggles to find equal footing in a man’s world. Even though she’s a talented designer, she is never given the same credit or respect for her work. The unfair rules and regulations that women had to face in the work place back then were absurd. If a woman got married, she could no longer work at Tiffany Glass Studios. Tiffany didn’t want any married women working for him, because he thought they would no longer make their work a priority. The same standard was obviously not applied to his male workers.

I enjoyed learning more about Tiffany, his company, the strikes and battles women faced in the work force. I also loved the descriptions of New York City at the turn of the century. Unfortunately, Clara’s personal life fell a bit flat for me. It just seemed like she was always longing for something she couldn’t have and that seemed like such a waste.

She wanted to marry her best friend, but he was gay. She had an odd love/hate relationship with Tiffany and always seemed to desire his approval in a way that wasn’t quite related to only her work. Her obsession with Tiffany and talk of her lover’s jealousy of his attention was a little creepy. Her relationship with her fiancé added another odd aspect in the book. They seemed happy, then things took a really strange turn and everything changed.

The book was at its best when they were talking about the actual designs, incorporating their love of nature into their work and women’s rights in the work force. If those aspects interest you, then it’s definitely worth reading, but some of the other bits lost my interest.

“How easily a parent’s motive could be misconstrued by an injured child.”

p.s. One interesting tidbit, did you all know that Louis Comfort Tiffany, the creator of Tiffany Glass Studio, was the son of the man who created the famous jewelry company Tiffany & Co? I had no idea!(less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Susan Vreeland's ability to show us the intricacies of various art forms and the world of those artists is well known. I've read all her books, and I think this one is definitely her best.

By choosing to focus on the woman who led the "Tiffany Girls" who were responsible for the design and manufacture of the famous Tiffany glass lamps, she has given us not only the story of the glass, but the story of changing women's roles in the early part of the twentieth century. She has also given us a less...more Susan Vreeland's ability to show us the intricacies of various art forms and the world of those artists is well known. I've read all her books, and I think this one is definitely her best.

By choosing to focus on the woman who led the "Tiffany Girls" who were responsible for the design and manufacture of the famous Tiffany glass lamps, she has given us not only the story of the glass, but the story of changing women's roles in the early part of the twentieth century. She has also given us a lesson in the glass techniques and in the Tiffany Glass company culture, particularly Tiffany's hard and fast rule that the company would not employ a married woman.

From the 1893 Chicago World's Fair where Louis Comfort Tiffany originally attracted the public's attention, to the middle of the next century, Vreeland paints the picture of Clara Driscoll, as she struggled to maintain and enhance her position in the company, to protect the jobs for the women in their own division, and to gain acknowledgement of her role and talent as the designer and main artistic inspiration for much of Tiffany's famous work. In spite of her complex and close relationship with Mr. Tiffany, she eventually was faced with standing up to the management, and ultimately leaving the company.

Vreeland uses Clara Driscoll's letters as the basis for the story of her artistic and managerial achievements at the Tiffany Glass company. That alone would have been an interesting story. However, the author's ability to breath life into her personal relationships with a very bohemian group of fellow roomers at the boarding house where she lived most of her life. Her early marriage (and subsequent widowhood which allowed her to return to working), her exotic love affair with Edwin Booth, and her lifetime relationship with Edwin's gay brother added color and depth to the story. Vreeland is also excellent at giving us a picture of the bone-crushing poverty of the average immigrant living in the tenements of New York. Clara is often able to find young women who have the native talent to learn the work and her ability to provide them with steady employment often meant the difference between living and starvation.

It's a well-crafted, well-researched story that is sure to please art-lovers, and fans of women's fiction. My experience was especially enhanced by Ms. Vreeland's post Discovering Clara on her webpage. Be sure to check out the breathtaking photos of the stained glass.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Autumn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Such an enjoyable read and quite a good book to follow up my reading of The Technologists by Matthew Pearl. While they are not the same type of story both are set in the Victorian Age and are well-written. The characters have great depth and the descriptions of the era, on the cusp of so much change, are evocative and enticing.

While the main character, Clara, does get quite technical in her descriptions of process and technique, it is obvious that it is truly a labor of love. Anyone who is an...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Handd51 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-reads

I have loved several of Vreeland's books for their insights into women in and around art through the centuries. This one was a bit tougher because the story has little real excitement in it. Set in the late 19th and very early 20th century, Clara Driscoll comes to work for the Tiffany Glass company. She is a creative designer and artist in her own right, but unable to put her name on pieces directly because she is a woman. Tiffany both encourages her and thwarts her frequently, and he book chara...more

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May 15, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've always loved items made of stained glass which of course led me to Tiffany's works. Having seen some of his company's windows in local churches, I found the descriptions of how they were made interesting. I had known that he himself did not make all the items, but I did not realize how large his company was and how many people he employed. Clara was a bit ahead of her times as the head of one of Tiffany's departments, the only department of women in the company. This time in history was not...more

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Apr 25, 2012 K rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, biography

History comes alive and in full color with the novel Clara and Mr. Tiffany. And color is the main component of this love story with Tiffany stained glass. And what is wonderful is that while the book is a novel it is all based on fact. And as a side note I listened to part of it on book on CD and the reader is absolutely fabulous – so either enjoy a great read or a great listen – all of it is superb.

There truly was a Clara Driscoll and as most know there was Tiffany jewelry and in particular for...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good readable history is hard to write. When based on the scraps of information we have for the subject here, it becomes both easier and more difficult, as what-ifs and might-have-beens take flight. Vreeland keeps her feet on the ground, not indulging in a flaw ive seen in novels of this type, where the author manufactures meetings with other famed names of the period.

Make no mistake it IS a novel. We simply dont know much about Clara Driscoll. She was director of the Tiffany Studios' Women's G...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Fiona rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fiction but based on a real person, Clara Driscoll,who was a Tiffany girl. These women worked as artisans for Tiffany glass studios in New York City in the early 1900's. I had to buy a reference book of Tiffany glass & art so I can see and understand the description of the work. I still don't understand the art production of leaded glass and enamels. but it's obviously very detail. I still love Tiffany lamps.

Why am I reading books lately where the main character has a brother or fiance (this...more

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Sep 14, 2011 VillaPark Public Library rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reading-and-blogging

If you've read Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland, then you've learned that this novel is set in the New York studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany, an artist who debuted his stunning stained glass in the 1890s. If you haven't read it, this story revolves around Clara Driscoll, head of the women's workshop at the Tiffany Studios. She struggles for recognition as an artist and tries to balance her personal life against the strict "no married women" policy at her work. Set against a Gilded Age back...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: block-plan-bibliophiles

To borrow a phrase from my friend, Cathe: Well, I didn't hate it.

Vreeland chose a challenging topic -- a fictional look at Clara Driscoll, a real Victorian woman who worked in the Tiffany glassworks studios, but about whom almost nothing more is known. Truly an intriguing time in Western and women's history: immigrants teeming to America, women entering the workforce in droves, labor unions flexing their muscles, socialism trying to twine into our culture, new ideas, rampant art, the transition...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-group

This book is based on Clara Driscoll, who headed up the women’s design division for Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. Historical fiction is a curious genre. I rarely read it because I am distracted by wondering what is true and what isn’t.

I alternated between being really wrapped up in the book and finding it a chore to read. Against all odds, because her story should have been fascinating, Clara came across to me as so earnest and humorless that I was rarely drawn into her personal story....more

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Aug 02, 2011 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

I have to start this off by stating that I am a huge Susan Vreeland fan. I love the way she incorporates historical fact, artists, their works and the flavour of the time into a completely readable and most importantly, enjoyable book. This book is no different. Clara Driscoll was an avid letter writer and happenstance brought these letters to light in 2007. Gleaning facts from these letters Ms. Vreeland transports the reader back to the early 1900’s … Tiffany Glass was the poor relation to Tiff...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Sandra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having just seen the Tiffany exhibit at Biltmore Estate, devoted mostly to Tiffany lamps, it was a perfect time to read this historical novel. In one respect, it did not disappoint: it gave me some insight into the design and construction of the lamps and the making and choosing of the extraordinary glass that gives them life.

According to the postscript, this life of Clara Driscoll is highly fictionalized---and it’s not known whether Clara actually was instrumental in initiating the lamp line f...more

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May 28, 2011 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: art-inspired, literature

I really wanted to like this book. It is based on the life of Clara Driscoll, the women who created the Tiffany lamps, and it has all of the elements of a good story: a turn-of-the-century New York setting, a "strong" female protagonist who must choose between love or her talent, the bonhomie of the art world, etc. Hm. The characters were two-dimensional, there was way too much information about the construction of stained-glass pieces (the book should have included pictures of the pieces so rub...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Clara and Mr. Tiffany is a fictional novel based on fairly recently discovered information about the work and studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the Tiffany of the stained glass windows and the lamps, son of the Tiffany of the jewelry store.` A 2007 museum exhibit, inspired in part by the letters of Clara Driscoll, cast a new light on who exactly did what in Mr. Tiffany’s studio. This book does a wonderful job of portraying the kind of life a working woman would have led in the New York City of th...more Clara and Mr. Tiffany is a fictional novel based on fairly recently discovered information about the work and studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the Tiffany of the stained glass windows and the lamps, son of the Tiffany of the jewelry store.` A 2007 museum exhibit, inspired in part by the letters of Clara Driscoll, cast a new light on who exactly did what in Mr. Tiffany’s studio. This book does a wonderful job of portraying the kind of life a working woman would have led in the New York City of the late 1800s into the beginning of the Twentieth Century. The city itself and its growth is described—its politics, its economics, its middle-class society (unlike Edith Wharton’s New York), its architecture, its strengths and deficiencies.

At the time when the middle class was becoming increasingly important, the decorative arts were a way that people “on the way up” who did not possess great fortunes could enjoy a taste of fine art. Just as the characters in the book can enjoy the opera even if they have to resort to the standing room section, an upper middle class woman could enjoy having a small Tiffany lamp on her dressing table.

The movement also embraced technology. The Dragonfly lamp was originally designed as an oil lamp; the wisteria lamp is electric. Supposedly, Tiffany consulted with the expert--Thomas Edison himself—and Edison expressed the opinion that the colored shades would be just the thing to moderate the harshness of incandescent light. One wonders what Tiffany would do with the compact daylight fluorescent!

A prominent theme in the novel is the role of women in society. Ironically, in an age when the issue of Women’s Suffrage had not yet been settled, it is the economic right of women to work and to work for a decent wage, in spite of opposition by the labor unions, that takes center stage.

Finally, the novel deals with a philosophical question: In the whole scope of a person’s life, exactly how important is art or one’s career as an artist? Finding a balanced answer to this question is a struggle for Tiffany himself and for Clara Driscoll.

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Apr 09, 2011 Arthistorychick rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone with an interest in art &/or art history

Shelves: historical-fiction

Historical fiction author Susan Vreeland has done it again! In her latest novel, Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel, Vreeland creates a wonderfully compelling story of an artist and the world she lived and worked in. This fascinating story traces sixteen years of Clara Driscoll’s life between 1892 and 1908, the years she served as head of the Women’s Department at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. Vreeland asserts in her novel that it was in fact Clara Driscoll and not Louis Comfort Tiffany...more Historical fiction author Susan Vreeland has done it again! In her latest novel, Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel, Vreeland creates a wonderfully compelling story of an artist and the world she lived and worked in. This fascinating story traces sixteen years of Clara Driscoll’s life between 1892 and 1908, the years she served as head of the Women’s Department at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. Vreeland asserts in her novel that it was in fact Clara Driscoll and not Louis Comfort Tiffany who hit upon the idea for the now famous Tiffany lamps!
Vreeland does not make this radical claim without proof and true to form she has woven this particular story around extant historical documentation. In this instance, Vreeland was able to use Clara Driscoll’s own words as expressed in her letters which were discovered in 2005. Vreeland’s novel is filled with details and descriptions of life in New York City. In fact, these descriptions are one of the novel’s greatest strengths; Vreeland’s ability to create such incredible images with her words gives the reader the opportunity to completely understand what life was like for an unmarried woman living and working in turn of the century New York.
Clara Driscoll’s time at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company was not just about her creation and designing the leaded glass lamps but also about the creation and flourishing of the Women’s Department with Clara as its head. In a time when women barely had any rights at all, Clara Driscoll saw that her girls earned a fair wage and were treated with respect. Admittedly, these issues were not always easy ones and Vreeland expertly deals with the social aspects of women in the workplace.
Vreeland also deals with the personal struggles and sacrifices Clara and her girls made during their time with the Tiffany Company. For instance, per company policy, all of the women working for Louis Comfort Tiffany had to remain unmarried. This policy becomes problematic for many of the women but especially for Clara who constantly struggles with her need to be recognized as a true artist and her desire to be married. This policy turns into a very clever way for Vreeland to develop the story lines of some of the minor characters, many of which are incredibly delightful and well developed.
Another of Vreeland’s greatest strengths lies in Vreeland’s ability to describe the leaded glass making processes without becoming bogged down in technical jargon. All of the descriptions are expertly woven into the plot line so that they become a part of the novels’ fabric and not independent or boring descriptions of glass making. As you proceed through the novel you find yourself holding your breath waiting to find out if a new process or procedure for creating a lamp works or if it will prove to be a total failure. As with all of Vreeland’s historical fiction, the reader becomes completely invested in the characters and their lives. You celebrate the victories just as Clara and her girls did and cry when any one of them experiences either a personal or professional loss
This book is beyond being worth your time and energy as a reader; it is a must read if you love historical fiction! Vreeland is a master storyteller and even if you know nothing about Tiffany and Company, the leaded glass industry, or women’s rights in turn of the century New York, you will love this novel.
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About Susan Vreeland

Susan Vreeland is an internationally renowned best-selling author and three-time winner of the Theodor Geisel Award for Fiction, the San Diego Book Award’s highest honor. She is known for writing historical fiction on art-related themes, including Girl in Hyacinth Blue, The Passion of Artemisia, and Luncheon of the Boating Party (Penguin, 2007). Her books have been translated into 25 languages. Sh...more

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Quotes from Clara and Mr. Tiffany

“You know, bicycling isn't just a matter of balance," I said. "it's a matter of faith. You can keep upright only by moving forward. You have to have your eyes on the goal, not the ground. I'm going to call that the Bicyclist's Philosophy of Life.” — 8 people liked it

“He and I had a bridge that no one else traveled that made us artistic lovers, passionate without a touch of the flesh. He made me thrive, and valuing that, I could do nothing that would endanger it.” — 6 people liked it

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