Tiffany Studios

Private Collection
Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, May 1, 1970, lot 137
Wolf Family Collection No. 0097 (acquired from the above)

Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2019, p. 328, no. 1315

Of the many lighting fixtures by Tiffany Studios in the Wolf Family Collection, the Twelve-Light “Turtle-Back and Lily” Chandelier is a magnificent demonstration of the firm’s artistry in glass. Impressive in scale with resplendent visual presence, the design incorporates leaded glass, iridized “Turtle-Back” tiles and favrile glass. The geometric registers of leaded glass elegantly transition from shades of fiery orange and golden yellow to chartreuse green and sky blue. This warm color palette, evocative of a sunset, finds parallels in many of the Wolf Family Collection’s great American landscape scenes. The registers of leaded glass are punctuated by two bold bands of iridized “Turtle-Back” tiles, whose wonderfully irregular surfaces enhance the naturalism of the design. Finally encircling the shoulder of the fixture are twelve favrile glass “Lily” shades, the delicacy of which perfectly balances the weight of the patinated bronze framework. Taken all together, these elements result in a stunning, jewel-like chandelier of masterful proportions and aesthetic beauty.