Early Monumental Decorated Favrile Glass Vase

Early Monumental Decorated Favrile Glass Vase
Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company
circa 1899-1900
Measuring over 18 inches in height and over 12 inches in diameter, this monumental Tiffany Favrile Glass Vase is a tour de force, serving as a testament to the skill of Tiffany’s glassblowers and chemists.

This exceptional piece dates to the late 1890s, a period of fervent experimentation at Louis Comfort Tiffany’s private glass furnace in Corona, Queens. Tiffany’s glassblowing facilities opened around 1893; the blown glass dating from these early years of production tend to feature more unusual forms and decorative motifs.

The entirety of the vase is decorated with a motif of thin scrolling, swirling lines which subtly stand out from the surface in very low relief; this decoration is characterized by rainbow iridescent hues which contrast with the iridescent background that shifts in color from shades of deep green near the base to sea green in the upper portion. Throughout the lower half of the vase, the iridescent background is characterized by more reflective golden tones.

A series of small bubbles are scattered throughout both the background and the decoration, a fairly common occurrence seen in Tiffany Favrile Glass dating from the 1890s. However, this exceptional vase features the rare addition of hand-worked details: several of the larger bubbles along the lower portion of the vase were skillfully wheel-carved into the form of beetles, each with small legs and antennae, turning a feature that may have been seen by some as an imperfection into a decorative enhancement.

This rare and exceptional example of early Tiffany glass is inscribed on the underside with date code.

Height: 18 inches (45.7 cm)
Diameter: 12 inches (30.5 cm)