Once belonging to Louis. C. Tiffany himself, the present bowl displays a vivacious and sculptural form, as well as an innovative fabrication technique developed by the Tiffany Furnaces in the first decade of the twentieth century. Around 1908, Tiffany Studios introduced the Bronze Pottery line of wares that were put into production at Tiffany Furnaces in Corona. The technique was initially intended for table lamp bases that functioned using oil or kerosene, but the technique quickly spread to a variety of vessels and forms intended for home furnishings and decorative display. Tiffany bronze pottery was first advertised in Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book in 1911, with prices starting at five dollars

The specialized fabrication technique combined the pottery and metalware departments of the firm, using the cutting-edge technology of electroplating. The outer surface of a ceramic vessel was plated in copper through the process of electrolysis. First, the copper sheath or base was patinated to simulate variations of bronze finishes, a metal itself which is not conducive to electroplating due to its alloyed structure.

The present example displays an elaborate network of lotus buds in the form, which would have been executed first in ceramic for the base and electroplated in the manner described above to achieve a bronze-like finish with a rich, russet-hued patina.  The interior of the bowl displays a vibrant green enamel, a color that was often used in mounted pottery vases as well, which bears resemblance to the bright green glass used in reticulated vases with bronze mounts produced by the firm.

The lotus motif is sensitively rendered in highly naturalistic detail with curling buds, blossoms, and leaves that unfurl to create an irregular aperture. The effect is as though the viewer is directly looking into a lush garden in miniature. Tiffany often provided plant samples from the grounds of his estate at Laurelton Hall to the pottery studio in order to be inspired by and replicate natural forms in the works produced.

Tiffany’s affinity for Asian culture in his designs is clearly present in this work. The significance of the lotus in ancient and contemporary Chinese culture relates the plant to Buddhist ideals of rebirth and regeneration. The lotus is the flower of the sixth month and associated with summer, and it is a symbol of purity because it rises out of the mud to bloom each year. Lotus blossoms are often depicted as a throne for the Buddha, and the lotus is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.

This work is a rare and important example of a signed piece from Tiffany’s personal collection, and which was also part of the famed collection of Mr. Takeo Horiuchi’s Garden Museum in Japan.