Tiffany Studios

Lillian Nassau, New York, 2007

Marilynn A. Johnson, Louis Comfort Tiffany: Artist for the Ages, London 2005, p. 141 (for a related plaque in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, gift of H.O. Havemeyer, 1896)

Overall in excellent condition. The favrile glass with some small and minor air bubble and particulate inclusions, as well as a few very small burst air bubbles to the top surface, all inherent in the making. The top surfaces of the plaque with a few fine surface scratches. The underside with some scattered light surface scratches and abrasion marks from prior surface contact. The plaque is presently fitted with a later chromium-plated metal hanging device to the reverse, which is not shown in the catalogue illustration. The hanging hardware, when in place, is not visible to the exterior aside from three small metal clips measuring ½ inch in length which are evenly spaced around the perimeter circumference. This device allows the plaque to be hung on the wall for display. A superb and rare large-scaled example displaying exquisite decoration and strong color. The plaque is beautifully iridized, and when seen with reflected light displays luminous hues ranging from deep magenta, cobalt, turquoise, green and gold. The decoration is beautifully rendered, and the colors and iridescence are much richer and more nuanced than seen in the catalogue illustration, most notably around the outer perimeter borders of the plaque.
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.

Louis Comfort Tiffany, during his career as an interior decorator, frequently incorporated ceramic plaques into room settings.  Illustrations of his two nineteenth-century living quarters in New York City, the Bella Apartments and the Tiffany Mansion, depict such plaques displayed on walls and mantels throughout the rooms.  It is therefore no surprise that plaques were among the initial blown Favrile objects produced by his Stourbridge Glass Company.

Tiffany’s Favrile plaques were also intended to reinforce one of the company’s primary advertising themes.  The firm frequently mentioned that each of their blown objects was unique and should be judged on the same terms as any other work of fine art.  What better way to emphasize this point than to make a glass object that could be hung on a wall in lieu of an oil painting.

The earliest plaques, made in late 1893, were generally of an asymmetrical circular shape with unintentionally undulated rims.  These objects were perhaps the first blown Favrile objects that display a discernable decorative motif exemplifying Tiffany’s love of nature.  Most of the vases produced at this time were enhanced with either a highly amorphous ornamentation or a simple “pulled feather” design.  The plaques, on the other hand, usually featured a large central stylized flower with radiating petals.  The mold-blown example being offered, produced a mere four to six years after the glasshouse’s initial efforts, amply demonstrates how Tiffany’s gaffers mastered the form and motif in an incredibly short period of time.

-Paul Doros, Author of the forthcoming book, The Art Glass of Louis Comfort Tiffany