The Nautical desk set was one of the most elaborate produced by Tiffany Studios, with each piece depicting “varied motifs of the sea,” often incorporating sculptural or highly detailed motifs in high and low relief. Period sales catalogues distributed by Tiffany Studios note that this set was “of unusual interest”
This Calendar Frame in gold patina, raised up on a “base” formed by stylized cresting waves, features a motif of undulating blades of kelp bordered on the inner and outer edges by a design of coiled and twisted rope. Four rounded escutcheons, framed by the top borders, stand out from the swirling tendrils of the water plants, each encapsulating a distinctive depiction of a boat, including a finely detailed Viking sailing ship in the uppermost section of the frame.
In Tiffany Desk Sets, a sales pamphlet produced by Tiffany Studios around 1910, the company noted that the set could also be finished in “soft green tones” in addition to brown and gold patina.
Height: 6 ½ inches (16.5 cm)
Width: 7 inches (17.8 cm)
Depth: 2 ½ inches (6.3 cm)
Opening: 3 3/8 inches x 4 ¼ inches (8.6 cm x 10.8 cm)