This early “Reactive” Tiffany Favrile Glass Carved Paperweight Vase features fine wheel-carved decoration of swirling thin vines and leaves characterized by naturalistic detailing, the leaves with curling edges and soft venation.
The translucent body of the vase is formed by thick transparent “Reactive” Favrile Glass, an unusual and technically complex type of blown glass characterized by subtly shifting color tones in either transmitted or reflected light. “Reactive” Favrile Glass was developed in the 1890s by chemist Arthur Nash and the glassblowers working at Louis Comfort Tiffany's private glass furnace in Corona, Queens.
The sensitive hand-carved decoration appears to float below a related cased motif of swirling vines and heart-shaped leaves articulated in variegated amber glass, cased within the transparent body of the vase. These opaque leaves feature corresponding intaglio decoration. A pulled and slightly swirled motif in the same amber glass descends from the rim of the vase.
This exceptional example of Tiffany Favrile Glass is inscribed on the underside with signature and date code.
Height: 7 inches (17.8 cm)
Related examples illustrated:
Martin Eidelberg, Tiffany Favrile Glass and the Quest of Beauty, Lillian Nassau LLC: New York, 2007, pg. 54 fig. 63, and pg. 67 fig. 79.
