This exquisite early Tiffany Lamp is an outstanding design pairing a Vine Border shade with a likely unique lamp base; it has remained as a complete unit since it was initially sold by Tiffany Studios at the turn of the twentieth century.
The first Tiffany lamp models were powered by oil or kerosene. While most of these early lamps have since been converted to electricity (in many cases losing their original parts), this is an exceedingly rare example which remains a fully functional oil lamp. Lillian Nassau LLC commissioned a custom piece of metalwork to integrate an electrical socket while preserving all of the original mechanisms.
This base is part of a series of Tiffany designs inspired by the ancient technique of caged glass. Translucent pale green Tiffany favrile glass was blown through a reticulated gilt bronze structure featuring hand-cut ogival motifs, resulting in a sculptural, pillowed effect. The inset fuel canister is decorated with a low relief motif echoing the pierced design and acid-etched details of the base.
An early Vine Border shade, commonly referred to by Tiffany collectors as the “Acorn," rests on three thin bronze arms. This 16-inch diameter domed shade comprises a gridded background of deeply saturated golden yellow glass characterized by heavy mottling, with hints of creamy white throughout the lower portion. The background is bisected near the lower rim by a horizontal frieze of meandering leaves in alternating positions articulated in variegated green and yellow glass, harmonizing with the color palette of the base.
Both the shade and base of this rare and exceptional Tiffany lamp are signed.
Height: 20 ¼ inches (51.4 cm)
Diameter: 16 inches (40.6)