Tiffany Studios New York Glass Vase

An early Tiffany Studios New York favrile glass vase with pulled decoration. An early Tiffany Studios New York favrile glass vase with pulled decoration. The vase features iridescent swirls in pinks and blues on a translucent pale brown background.

Favrile is the trade name Tiffany gave to his blown art glass. The name derives from the Latin word fabrilis, meaning “made by hand.” The technique was developed at the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company in the mid-1890s using filaments from batches of differently colored glass and working the material while the glass was still molten. Ornamentation was added before the piece had its final shape, so that the decoration became fully integrated into the vessel. The technique was used in both decorative vases and functional pieces such as tableware (bowls, goblets, carafes) and lamp shades. Tiffany intended the favrile designation as a guarantee to current customers and future collectors of the fine quality of these objects.

Original Tiffany paper label.