TIFFANY STUDIOS | An Important “Snowball” Floor Lamp

with a Senior floor base and “Pig Tail” finial

Private Collection, Vermont
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 1985

Dr. Egon Neustadt, The Lamps of Tiffany, New York, 1970, pp. 183-185 (for the shade)
William Feldstein, Jr. and Alastair Duncan, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios, New York, 1983, p. 73 (for the shade)
Martin Eidelberg, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Nancy A. McClelland and Lars Rachen, The Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany, New York, 2005, p. 69 (for a watercolor study of the shade design)
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2007, p. 209 (for the shade)
David A. Hanks, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Treasures from the Driehaus Collection, New York, 2013, p. 75 (for the identical shade and base pairing)
Margaret K. Hofer and Rebecca Klassen, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios: Nature Illuminated, New York, 2016, p. 82 (for the shade)

Overall in very good condition. This superb shade is executed in a highly naturalistic color palette. The snowball blossoms are articulated in both warm and cool white tones with inflections of green, and the vigorous mottling to the glass accurately captures the delicate texture of snowball petals seen in nature. The leaves are depicted in vibrant shades of shamrock and yellow-green. The background passages are comprised of a range of richly saturated blue and purple glass, including ultramarine, cerulean, azure, cornflower, cobalt, and periwinkle, which strongly evokes the experience of seeing the breaking sky through the dense branches of the snowball plant. The shade with approximately 35-40 hairline cracks dispersed throughout which have been recently sensitively stabilized by a professional glass conservator, all stable and not visually distracting, and to be expected considering the vast number of individual pieces of glass required to execute a shade of this scale and complexity. The leading shows traces of paint in isolated areas, with minor traces of paint extending onto the glass immediately adjacent to the leadlines, not visually distracting and only visible upon close inspection. The shade with approximately 4 tiles which appear to have been reset or possibly replaced with well-matched glass that is visually harmonious to the shade. The bronze base is in very good condition and displays a rich brown patina. The bronze surfaces with scattered minor surface scratches, abrasions, and minor dents, consistent with age and gentle use. The base cushion with a subtle dimpled texture, inherent in the making and not visually distracting. The sockets and paddle switches all appear to be original and undisturbed. With a period “Pig Tail” finial in very good condition with some minor traces of green paint. A stunning example of this highly artistic and naturalistic shade model displaying an outstanding glass selection. The rich palette of blues and purples in the background passages are ethereal, imparting the lamp with a very dramatic and aspirational quality.
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.