Tiffany Studios

Minna Rosenblatt, New York

Private Collection, New York, 1978

Sotheby's New York, June 15, 2011, lot 13

The Geyer Collection

Sotheby's New York, The Geyer Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, December 11, 2018, lot 56

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Dr. Egon Neustadt, The Lamps of Tiffany, New York, 1970, p. 177 (for the shade and the base model configured as a table base)

William Feldstein, Jr. and Alastair Duncan, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios, New York, 1983, pp. 102-103 and 168-169 (for the shade)

Alastair Duncan, Martin Eidelberg and Neil Harris, Masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany, London, 1989, no. 51 (for the shade)

Alastair Duncan, Louis C. Tiffany: The Garden Museum Collection, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2004, pp. 304-305 (for the shade)

Marilynn A. Johnson, Louis Comfort Tiffany: Artist for the Ages, London, 2005, p. 161 (for the shade and the base model configured as a table base)

Martin Eidelberg, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Nancy A. McClelland and Lars Rachen, The Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany, New York, 2005, pp. 34-35 and 195-197 (for the shade)

Martin Eidelberg, Nina Gray and Margi Hofer, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls, New York, 2007, p. 62 (for the shade)

Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2019, pp. 95, no. 365 and 176, no. 711 (for the shade); p. 239, no. 950 (for the present lot illustrated)

Dragonflies possessed endless appeal for Louis C. Tiffany and his artisans. Their shimmering, iridized wings and bodies and the lush, complex and often aquatic landscapes they inhabit together encapsulate the splendor and richness of the natural world that Tiffany so admired. As a subject, the dragonfly in its natural habitat would have presented Tiffany’s artisans with abundant opportunity for interpretation with an unlimited color palette. However, Tiffany appreciated more than just their beauty. As a collector of Asian decorative art, he would have been aware of the dragonfly’s significance in Asian cultures, representing power and agility to the Japanese and prosperity, harmony and good fortune to the Chinese. With so many admirable qualities, it is no surprise that the dragonfly became a popular motif in Tiffany’s production, including leaded glass, mosaics, enamels and jewelry.

Clara Driscoll and Alice Gouvy designed the first “Dragonfly” shade model for Tiffany in 1899, which would go on to be developed and retailed in a variety of shapes and sizes. The present lot displays one of the largest and most elaborate leaded glass variations that the firm produced. The glass selection is sensational: the fiery palette elegantly transitions from rich crimson reds to warm oranges and ambers descending into golden yellows. These hues are wonderfully contrasted by nine bright green dragonflies around the lower register, as well as a rings of emerald green tiles in the upper register. Finally, large cabochon jewels dispersed around the shade enhance the lamp’s overall dazzling effect.

The bold shade is paired with a rare “Ball” base and finial. Opalescent glass balls encircle the circumference of the base, complimenting both the jewels within the shade and the evocative orange eyes of the dragonflies. This ideal combination of shade and base creates a stunning overall unit, distinguishing this lot as a superlative example of Tiffany’s artistry in both glass and bronze.