Tiffany Studios New York “Wire-Mesh Poppy” Table Lamp
Set against a amber, mottled glass ground, the amber poppies in this Tiffany Studios New York “Poppy” lamp appear to sway in rhythmic harmony above a lower border of stylized foliage. Their centers are enriched with pierced brass filigree—a refined metalworking technique employed at Tiffany Studios to articulate delicate botanical detail in select shades. In this example, the filigree is applied to the interior surface of the shade, subtly evoking the vein structure of the leaves; when used on the exterior in other designs, the same technique instead accentuates the poppy’s intricate floral core, bringing it into sharper visual relief.
The blossoms are rendered in varying phases of life: some droop in the final, fading stage of bloom, others rise in the early act of unfurling, with their elaborate, mesh-like centers. This progression of growth and decay animates the composition with a quiet naturalism. Below, a densely layered border of overlapping leaves provides a lush counterpoint to the more sparing arrangement above, their rich coloration and gentle striations introducing depth and grounding the design. The shade is mounted on a “Twisted vine” base, extending the botanical vocabulary into the supporting structure.
Item #: YL-22195
Artist: Tiffany Studios New York
Country: United States
Circa: 1900
Dimensions: 26.5" height, 20" diameter.
Materials: Leaded Glass, Bronze
Shade Signed: Tiffany Studios New York 1531
Base Signed: Tiffany Studios New York 443
Literature: A similar base is pictured in: The Lamps of Tiffany, by Dr. Egon Neustadt, New York: The Fairfield Press, 1970, p. 188, plate 260; and in Tiffany Lamps and Metalware: An illustrated reference to over 2000 models, by Alastair Duncan, Woodbridge: Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club, 1988, p. 162, plate 667; Similar base pictured in Tiffany Lamps and Metalware: An illustrated reference to over 2000 models, by Alastair Duncan, Woodbridge: Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club, 1988, p. 94, plate 374
Item #: YL-22195
Artist: Tiffany Studios New York
Country: United States
Circa: 1900
Dimensions: 26.5" height, 20" diameter.
Materials: Leaded Glass, Bronze
Shade Signed: Tiffany Studios New York 1531
Base Signed: Tiffany Studios New York 443
Literature: A similar base is pictured in: The Lamps of Tiffany, by Dr. Egon Neustadt, New York: The Fairfield Press, 1970, p. 188, plate 260; and in Tiffany Lamps and Metalware: An illustrated reference to over 2000 models, by Alastair Duncan, Woodbridge: Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club, 1988, p. 162, plate 667; Similar base pictured in Tiffany Lamps and Metalware: An illustrated reference to over 2000 models, by Alastair Duncan, Woodbridge: Suffolk: Antique Collectors' Club, 1988, p. 94, plate 374
The wire mesh accents were the brain child of famed Tiffany Studios designer, and director of the self-styled "Tiffany Girls," Clara Driscoll, who designed the metal inclusion so as to mimic the appearance of mosaic glass. In the mid 19th century, more sophisticated hydraulic presses allowed manufacturers to punch and blank rolled brass sheet beneath a complex dies. There were three separate die shapes used for the poppy lamp, two separate designs for the leaves and one for the stamen and pistils of the poppy.
The wire mesh accents were the brain child of famed Tiffany Studios designer, and director of the self-styled "Tiffany Girls," Clara Driscoll, who designed the metal inclusion so as to mimic the appearance of mosaic glass. In the mid 19th century, more sophisticated hydraulic presses allowed manufacturers to punch and blank rolled brass sheet beneath a complex dies. There were three separate die shapes used for the poppy lamp, two separate designs for the leaves and one for the stamen and pistils of the poppy.
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