Lot 312
  • 312

TIFFANY STUDIOS | "Dragonfly" and "Arrowhead" Cigar Humidor

Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 USD
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Description

  • Tiffany Studios
  • "Dragonfly" and "Arrowhead" Cigar Humidor
  • impressed TIFFANY STUDIOS/NEW YORK/1659
  • silvered, gilt and enameled bronze, ivorine, cedar liner
  • 4 1/8  x 6 1/2  x 6 in. (10.5 x 16.5 x 15.2 cm)
  • circa 1905
en suite with the following two lots

Provenance

Private Collection, New York, circa 1970
Thence by descent to the present owner

Literature

Elyse Zorn Karlin, Maker and Muse: Women and Early Twentieth Century Art Jewelry, New York, 2015, p. 149 (for the model)

Condition

Overall very good condition. The surfaces throughout appear to be in untouched original condition. The bronze surfaces with very few scattered minor surface scratches, consistent with age and gentle handling. The undecorated outermost edge of the lid with a small area of minor oxidation. One corner of the lid with a very small area of patina wear, not visually detractive and visible in the catalogue illustration. The recessed areas of the design with some extremely light surface soiling. The gilt decoration presents with wonderful luster and luminosity and is in overall good condition with some expected scattered areas of losses throughout. The silvered decoration with losses throughout, visible in the catalogue illustration and consistent with age and gentle handling. The enameled surfaces present with subtle green tones effectively reinforcing the arrowhead and dragonfly motifs, and are in very good condition with some scattered occasional minute losses. The left lower tip of one leaf with a minor surface irregularity likely inherent in the making. The original handle has been recently sensitively replaced with ivorine by a professional silver conservator and presents with a slightly warm cream hue when viewed in person compared to the catalogue illustration. The interior cedar lining appears to be original and is in very good condition. An extremely rare and beautifully executed work by Tiffany, exemplifying the firm’s mastery of diverse techniques and a modernist interpretation of their distinct naturalistic aesthetic. resented en suite with the smaller cigarette humidor and cigar lighter (see lots 313 and 314).
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.

Catalogue Note

Tiffany’s line of fancy goods offered a bounty of objects for every practical need, executed in an array of design motifs to suit every taste.  They varied in both mechanical and aesthetic complexity, showcasing the firm’s wide range of skilled techniques and Tiffany’s own diverse sources of artistic inspiration.  The present group of humidors and cigar lighter are examples of the great extent to which Tiffany would go to lavish his objects with rich, sumptuous detail, making treasures of the utilitarian.  Their highly patterned surfaces depicting conventionalized dragonflies and upright arrowhead leaves and flowers are not unlike those seen in French design books like Eugène Grasset’s La Plante et ses applications ornementales.  The scheme is further enhanced by the addition of silver and gold plating, as well as green enameling.  Unlike the spontaneity and bold coloring of the works from the Enamel Department at Tiffany Studios, here the enameling is cool and even in tone.  Like patina, it carefully reinforces the relief design.  The modernity of the patterns, the richness of materials, and the elaborate finishes suggest the years around the turn-of-the century when Tiffany Studios spared no expense.