Tiffany Studios

Macklowe Gallery, New York

Paul E. Doros, The Art Glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany, New York, 2013, p. 146 (for a related example)

Overall very good condition. The interior of the vase is beautifully irdized, imparting the vase with strong luminous color and greater visual depth which cannot be fully appreciated in the catalogue photography. The glass surfaces with some occasional extremely minor surface scratches consistent with age and gentle handling. The glass with scattered minor air bubbles and particulate inclusions, inherent in the making and not visually detractive, including an inclusion on the surface measuring approximately 1/2 inch long on the interior edge of the aperture, with another small surface inclusion adjacent measuring approximately 1/8 inch. The vase with a few very minor traces of surface residue to the recessed area between the bottom of the body and the foot. A beautifully executed complex design with rich coloration. A superb example from this rare series displaying outstanding scale and form, beautifully-controlled decoration and strong coloration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glasshouse never made what are considered to be traditional paperweights: hemispherical domes of thick, transparent glass encasing a design created with torchwork or millefiori. What are today known as the company’s paperweight-technique vases, however, frequently did employ millefiori encased between two relatively thin layers of clear glass and were an ideal medium to express Tiffany’s love of botany.

First developed around 1900, the glasshouse’s early attempts at paperweight vases were relatively crude and display the gaffers’ obvious problems with mastering the technique. The millefiori flowers were simple, poorly formed and indistinct, and many pieces have interior threads and inclusions that are visually distracting. However, the craftsmen perfected their skills within five years and paperweight vases of great beauty were produced by the company into the 1920s.

The piece presented here fully demonstrates the superior artistry of Tiffany’s glassmakers once the initial production problems had been solved. The numerous large and complex millefiori “Anemones” are easily recognizable and superbly crafted in striated shades of blue and purple with distinct stamens and pistils. The irregular brown and yellow-tinted leaves and sinuous green stems are finely assimilated into the design. Finally, the interior has a light orange-gold iridescence that serves as a perfect background for the flowers.

PAUL DOROS