TIFFANY STUDIOS | "Pony Wisteria" Table Lamp

Lillian Nassau, New York
Private Collection, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1960s
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Dr. Egon Neustadt, The Lamps of Tiffany, New York, 1970, p. 214
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany At Auction, New York, 1981, pp. 69 and 97
William Feldstein, Jr. and Alastair Duncan, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios, New York, 1983, p. 117
Vivienne Couldrey, The Art of Louis Comfort Tiffany, Secaucus, NJ, 1997, p. 23
Alastair Duncan, Louis C. Tiffany: The Garden Museum Collection, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2004, p. 292
Martin Eidelberg, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Nancy A. McClelland and Lars Rachen, The Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany, New York, 2005, p. 108
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2007, p. 69

Overall in very good condition. The shade displays a rich purple-blue palette with a range of hues, including azure, cornflower, and periwinkle. The artistically placed mottles of the wisteria blossoms captures the dimensionality and delicacy of the flower as seen in nature. The blues are offset by the vibrant yellow-green leaves in the upper register, and by occasional accents of aqua in the lower panicles of the shade. The shade with approximately 30 hairline cracks dispersed throughout which have been recently sensitively stabilized by a professional glass conservator, all stable and not visually distracting. The shade with some traces of light surface soiling to the contours adjacent to the leadlines, consistent with age. The panicles with some very minor bending, only visible upon close inspection. The leading with some minor traces of oxidation consistent with age. The shade crown display crisp casting and chasing and is in very good condition with some minor oxidation, not visually distracting. The bronze base is in very good condition and displays a rich brown patina. The highly naturalistic gnarled roots are beautifully cast and chased. The bronze surfaces with scattered minor surface scratches, abrasions, and light surface soiling to the recessed contours of the design, consistent with age and gentle use. With the original base switch and knob. With period sockets. A superb example of this highly desirable model with an exceptionally rich and vibrant color palette.
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 “Pony Wisteria” model was an adaptation of Clara Driscoll’s most iconic shade design: the “Wisteria” lamp. Though smaller in scale, the Pony Wisteria displays all the incredible visual impact of its larger predecessor, with which it shares essentially the same format of dramatic, dripping wisteria panicles.  Interestingly, the base for the Pony Wisteria is more complex than the standard Wisteria, with a more sculptural and detailed casting, emulating the flower’s gnarled vine.

The present lot is comprised of a range of purple and blue hues, from periwinkle to lilac to cobalt—the quintessential palette for the model. Thoughtfully selected and impeccably executed, individual wisteria panicles are articulated by the ingenious placement of vigorously mottled glass, enhancing the dimensionality of the blossoms. The shade is interspersed with a variety of glass tiles—some translucent, some striated, and some occasionally with green-blue coloration—which creates a sense of visual depth, as if we are able to see light passing through the vines and other green foliage within the surrounding landscape.  The artistic accents of brilliant jewel-tones along the lower panicle border, along with the yellow-green leaves in the upper register, create a lively, vibrant contrast against the predominantly violet shade.  It is by all standards an exceptional example of the model.