Tiffany Studios

Private Collection, New Jersey
Acquired from the above by the present owner, circa 1970

Overall in very good condition. The interior of the neck with two shallow impressed tool marks which are inherent in the making. The interior of the vase with a small dark surface particulate which adhered to the interior surface during the making. The exterior surfaces with some light surface scratches and light rubbing marks. The top of the foot ring with light surface soiling and some surface residue. The underside of the foot ring with two tiny surface flecks (1/8 inch). The interior with light surface soiling and some light surface scratches consistent with age and gentle use. A stunning piece with elegant lines and exquisite pulled feather decoration to the collar. The exterior surfaces are beautifully iridized imparting the vase with strong luminous color.
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.

The following four lots are examples of Tiffany Studio's line of “Tel-el-Amarna” glass.  Named after the archeological site in Egypt in which several ancient glass factories were discovered in the last decade of the nineteenth century, these designs represent a shift within the company toward historicizing forms and decoration.  The art and architecture of the Mediterranean and Middle East were not a new interest of Louis Comfort Tiffany at this time, and had in fact arguably been the source of inspiration for his experiments with color.  In a lecture titled “Color and Its Kinship to Sound” given to an audience at the Rembrandt Club in Brooklyn, Tiffany stated “When I first had a chance to travel in the East and to paint where the people and buildings are also clad in beautiful hues, the pre-eminence of color in the world was brought forcibly to my attention.”

Tiffany Studios introduced "Tel-el-Amarna" glass in the first decade of the twentieth century, presenting it as the culmination of Tiffany’s efforts to mimic and improve upon ancient examples.  In a letter to the Philadelphia Museum of Art from that year, Tiffany went so far as to assert that “Tiffany glass in color and tone not only equals but surpasses the Egyptian.”  The "Tel-el-Amarna" series is identifiable by the use of Chinese forms with clearly delineated decoration to the feet and necks.  The first color to be introduced was the “Tel-el-Amarna blue” (later re-named “Mazarin blue,” a marketing reference that linked the firm to the Sèvres porcelain factory) followed by “Samian red.”  In the subsequent years additional colors were produced with consistent commercial success.  The present offering displays a wide spectrum of these colors, including rare examples in blue and red.