TIFFANY STUDIOS | "Nasturtium" Floor Lamp

with a rare six-footed "Chased Pod" Junior floor base

Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. , Norfolk, Virginia
Sotheby's New York, The Estate of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.: Important Art Nouveau and Art Deco, June 16, 1989, lot 394
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Dr. Egon Neustadt, The Lamps of Tiffany, New York, 1970, p. 155 (for the shade)
Alastair Duncan, Tiffany Lamps and Metalware, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2007, pp. 72, 85 and 124 (for the shade)
Martin Eidelberg, Nina Gray and Margaret K. Hofer, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls, exh. cat., New York Historical Society, 2007, p. 69, fig. 32 (for the shade)
Margaret K. Hofer and Rebecca Klassen, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios: Nature Illuminated, New York, 2016, p. 127 (for the shade)

Overall in very good condition. Formerly from the collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., the present floor lamp is a superb example of the Nasturtium shade model. The shade is executed with a vibrant color palette of warm and cool tones. The nasturtium blossoms are articulated in a range of warm hues, transitioning from deep crimson to bright pink to soft yellow and orange around the circumference of the shade. The intensely saturated nasturtium blossoms are offset by an array of green and yellow tones depicting the leaves. The background passages are executed in range of purples and blues, ranging from violet to mauve to deep blue and aqua. The shade with approximately 13 hairline cracks dispersed throughout which have been recently sensitively stabilized by a professional glass conservator. The upper register of the shade with some lead lines that have also been recently stabilized through professional conservation. The rare junior floor base is distinguished by having six feet rather than four, the latter representing the standard of the production model. The base displays a rich dark brown patina and presents with scattered minor surface scratches, abrasions, light wear, and minor traces of oxidation concentrated to the outer perimeter of the feet and the recessed contours of the design. Each foot is applied with a felt pad which is visible on some of the feet. The sockets and paddle switches all appear original and undisturbed. With a period finial in very good condition with light wear, a few minor shallow dents around the outer perimeter, and a shallow indentation adjacent to the knop. A magnificent example of the model with strong coloration evoking the nasturtium at peak bloom.
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 present “Nasturtium” Floor Lamp is a superior example of the model. Probably designed by Clara Driscoll prior to 1906, the shade is comprised of a profusion of red, orange, pink and white-streaked yellow blossoms among yellow and orange-tinged green foliage, some of which is further enhanced with vigorous mottling. The background glass, in shades of cobalt, purple and blue, is a striking contrast to the more flamboyant flowers. Even the “Holden” floor base is distinct, being raised on six curved feet rather than the standard four.

PAUL DOROS