Tiffany Studios
A Rare Seven-Piece “Pond Lily” Desk Set
Auction Closed
December 6, 11:14 PM GMT
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Tiffany Studios
A Rare Seven-Piece “Pond Lily” Desk Set
circa 1905
comprising an inkstand with interior period clear glass liner, letter rack, calendar frame, pen tray, rocker blotter, and a pair of blotter ends
patinated bronze
blotter ends, inkstand, calendar frame, pen tray and rocker blotter each impressed TIFFANY STUDIOS/NEW YORK; the inkstand, pen tray, rocker blotter and blotter ends further impressed with firm's respective model numbers
blotter ends: 20⅝ x 5¼ in. (52.4 x 13.3 cm) each
Brunk Auctions, Asheville, North Carolina, November 4, 2006, lot 165
The Geyer Collection
Sotheby's New York, The Geyer Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, December 11, 2018, lot 4
Acquired from the above by the present owner
The Geyer Collection
Sotheby's New York, The Geyer Collection: Masterworks of Tiffany and Prewar Design, December 11, 2018, lot 4
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Martin Eidelberg, Nina Gray and Margaret K. Hofer, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls, exh. cat., New York Historical Society, New York, 2007, p. 80
William R. Holland, Tiffany Desk Sets, Atglen, PA, 2008, pp. 224-226 (for the present lot illustrated)
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2019, p. 533, nos. 2133-2136
William R. Holland, Tiffany Desk Sets, Atglen, PA, 2008, pp. 224-226 (for the present lot illustrated)
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2019, p. 533, nos. 2133-2136
Tiffany Studios created an array of elegant and functional desk sets with different decorative schemes to suit any collector’s taste. While many sets were produced in great numbers, the present “Pond Lily” desk set is one of only three examples of the model known to exist, making its appearance at market a remarkable opportunity to acquire one of Tiffany’s rarest and most artistic “fancy goods.”
The thematic motif of the desk set speaks to Tiffany’s love of aquatic plants. Tiffany maintained a lily pond at his Laurelton Hall estate, inspiring a variety of models including the “Pond Lily” table lamp and the sculptural “Cattail Pond Lily” base. Here the motif is expertly executed across seven desk accessories. Undulating and overlapping lily pads with finely chased veins appear to float at the surface of water, while small dragonflies and moths hover and softly land upon them. The complexity and depth of casting on each piece are a testament to Tiffany’s mastery of bronze, showcasing the highest level of artistry from the pinnacle of the firm’s production.
The thematic motif of the desk set speaks to Tiffany’s love of aquatic plants. Tiffany maintained a lily pond at his Laurelton Hall estate, inspiring a variety of models including the “Pond Lily” table lamp and the sculptural “Cattail Pond Lily” base. Here the motif is expertly executed across seven desk accessories. Undulating and overlapping lily pads with finely chased veins appear to float at the surface of water, while small dragonflies and moths hover and softly land upon them. The complexity and depth of casting on each piece are a testament to Tiffany’s mastery of bronze, showcasing the highest level of artistry from the pinnacle of the firm’s production.