TIFFANY STUDIOS | A Rare "Turtle-Back" Inkstand

with interior patinated metal liner and period favrile glass inkwell liner

Cecile Singer Collection, New York
Sotheby's New York, 20th Century Decorative Arts Including Property from the Estate of Cecile Singer, March 10, 2005, lot 80

Alastair Duncan, Tiffany At Auction, New York, 1981, p. 44
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2007, p. 436, no. 1728

Overall very good condition. This highly architectural inkstand is configured with a front door that when lowered reveals a suspended inkwell. This ingenious mechanism functions smoothly with fluid movement. The patinated bronze surfaces display an exceptionally rich green and russet brown patina with some occasional minor surface scratches, abrasions and rubbing consistent with age and gentle handling. The inkstand with some very minor traces of surface soiling to the recessed contours of the design. The turtle-back tiles all appear original and undisturbed and are in very good condition. The turtle-back tiles are beautifully iridized, and when viewed with reflected light display strong luminous color in a range of brilliant jewel-tone hues. The inkwell retains its original interior metal and favrile glass liners. The favrile glass liner is in very good condition with a few minute air bubbles and particulate inclusions inherent in the making, and with some scattered minor surface scratches and traces of ink stains, consistent with age and use. A very charming, architectonic work displaying both the great innovation and artistry of Tiffany Studios. One of the rarest of Tiffany’s complex inkstand designs, displaying exceptional coloration to the Turtle-Back tiles and patinated bronze surfaces.
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.

While the present lot falls undoubtedly within Tiffany’s “fancy goods” production, this inkstand is characterized as much by its thoughtful engineering and architectonic sensibility as by its richly iridized turtle-back decorations and charming scale. Pulling down on the hinged front door reveals the interior inkwell, which is supported by a “gimbal” mechanism. This clever design employs gravity to keep the inkwell level while the door is opening and closing. There is only one other known extant example of this ingenious design by Tiffany Studios, sold at Sotheby's New York, December 16, 2015, lot 201.