NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s sale of Important Tiffany will take place on 15 December 2012 in New York and includes a highly-curated selection of iconic works in all artistic disciplines by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios, highlighted by an exciting selection of the firm’s iconic leaded glass lamps, favrile glass and bronze tablewares. The 44 lot sale will be on exhibition at our York Avenue headquarters beginning on 8 December 2012, alongside the sales of Important 20th Century Design and Masterworks by Tiffany Studios from the Geyer Family Collection.

The Important Tiffany sale will be highlighted by An Important and Rare “Magnolia” Floor Lamp (est. $650/800,000) circa 1915 with a “Scroll” Senior floor base, one of Tiffany Studios’ most important and defining floor lamp designs. This 28-inch domed Magnolia shade is the largest standard model that Tiffany Studios produced, and the large magnolia blossoms are well-suited to the impressive scale of the shade. This example displays a highly naturalistic glass selection, depicting a range of opalescent white, purple, amber and pale green magnolia blossoms with fiery orange centers, set against a deep and intensely mottled cobalt blue ground.

A Rare “Trumpet Creeper” Table Lamp (est. $400/600,000,) circa 1902-1906 with a large “Tree base” is distinguished by its striking color palette, displaying a heavily saturated range of reds, oranges and yellows articulating the trumpet blossoms, set against a dramatic background of deep purple and cobalt blue favrile glass. The table lamp has remained in the hands of only two families since 1906.

One of two offerings from the Fullagar-Shipley Family is A Rare “Peacock” Table Lamp (est. $140/180,000) circa 1905, originally owned by Guy Kent Fullagar, who was the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Tiffany Studios from circa 1902 – 1929. This lamp displays a blown favrile glass “Peacock” base, which represents a rare and unique pairing with the “Peacock” shade.

A Rare “Tulip Tree” Table Lamp (est. $80/120,000) offered in the sale is one of only two examples of this exceedingly rare shade model presently known. This early model is thought to have been in production in the first decade of the 1900s, and the Tulip Tree itself is an uncommonly-found motif in decorative arts during that time. This lamp has descended in the same Southern New Jersey family until recently.

In addition to the leaded glass lamps on offer is a selection of favrile glass, displaying many of Tiffany Studios’ most ambitious decorative techniques in the medium, including An Internally-Decorated Paperweight Vase (est. $12/18,000) and a large-scale, cobalt blue Leaf and Vine Paperweight Vase (est. $20/30,000). One of the most iconic floriform vases included is a superb “Jack-in-the-Pulpit” Vase (est. $20/30,000) from the Property of a New York Collection.

The sale is also highlighted by an exquisite Rare Covered Box (est. $10/15,000) decorated with marine life imagery. This enameled copper covered box circa 1902 was discovered years ago in a southern Florida estate.

The sale also includes three rare paintings by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including two works which descended in the artist’s family depicting the subjects of Chateau Amboise, Vallée de la Loire, France (est. $20/30,000) and Arches in Alhambra (est. $15/20,000) both circa 1880.


* Pre-sale estimates do not include buyer’s premium