Tiffany Studios

Christie's New York, December 10, 1998, lot 286
David Whitney Collection, Connecticut
Sotheby's New York, An American Visionary: The Collection of David Whitney, November 16, 2006, lot 21
Private Collection, New York
Sotheby's New York, December 15, 2011, lot 223
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Overall very good condition. The glass surfaces with scattered extremely minor surface scratches consistent with age and gentle handling, with slightly more surface scratches concentrated to the upper edge of the aperture and the widest point of the body. The glass with scattered minor air bubbles and particulate inclusions, inherent in the making and not visually detractive. The interior edge of the neck and interior of the coupe each with small surface irregularities, inherent in the making. The interior of the vase is subtly iridized, imparting the piece with strong luminosity. The vase has great scale and presence, and the aquatic Aquamarine decoration is incredibly optical when viewed in person with great visual depth and movement. A very impressive example of this rare decorative technique.
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.

Aquamarine glass was one of the last innovations introduced by Tiffany Furnaces. Louis Tiffany was fascinated by water: he sailed a small sloop outside Oyster Bay, designed and produced several large fountains, and even had a small stream traverse the interior of his Laurelton Hall mansion. It is therefore not surprising that he desired a type of glassware that reflected his affinity for water.

In July 1913, Tiffany sent Arthur E. Saunders, one of his gaffers, to Bermuda to examine from a glass-bottomed boat the marine life and vegetation in the surrounding tropical waters. The intent was for Saunders to replicate, in glass, what he saw after he returned to Corona.  The final result, after a surprisingly short period of experimentation, was the Aquamarine series, which was met with immediate critical success. Featuring thick, heavy bodies of transparent green-tinted glass encasing a highly naturalistic motif, the pieces were highlighted in magazine articles and Tiffany & Company’s Blue Book from 1914 to 1917, priced as high as $300. This exorbitant price was an indicator of how exceptionally difficult it was for the glasshouse to produce these objects, some of which weighed as much as 25 pounds.

The vase offered here is a prime example of the category. Its bulbous green-tinted transparent body is decorated with a central dome of “floating” yellow flowers, with orange millefiori centers, encircled by a spiraled vine of leaves in various shades of brown. The sense of depth is heightened by the refractive nature of the glass, and the internal horizontal striations aptly mimic a stream’s gentle current. Even the subtle silver iridescence on the interior of the neck serves a purpose, leading the viewer to focus on the floral decoration within the body. Tiffany evidently considered it a superior piece, as the company selected it for a special exhibition, probably either the 1914 Paris Salon or the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. It is vases such as this one that caused a contemporary observer to assert that Aquamarine glass was one of the most decorative and unusual creations in the history of glass-making.

PAUL DOROS