Tiffany Studios acknowledged in their printed materials that the Ninth Century set was one of the most elaborately decorated Desk Sets that they produced. Period sales brochures focusing on Tiffany Desk Sets described the Ninth Century’s decoration of stylized animals, including birds, squirrels and hares, which Tiffany’s designers adapted as a substitute for the grotesques commonly seen in Decorative Arts from the 9th century. These charming creatures are surrounded by intricate knotwork and interlace designs, described by Tiffany Studios as “carved ornament” and “deeply cut strapwork.”
In addition to the highly detailed ornament, the Ninth Century Desk Set is one of the few Tiffany desk sets which features Tiffany Favrile Glass as an important decorative element used to imitate a semi-precious jewel or stone.
This Memo Pad from the desk set features a wooden rectangular base, with a hinged “lid” formed by a single flat piece of bronze decorated on the surface with the richly detailed Ninth Century motifs, with the addition of rounded pressed Tiffany Favrile Glass cabochons in shades of green and blue.
This piece of original Tiffany Studios metalwork is marked with the model number and firm’s marks.
Length: 8 ¼ inches (21 cm)
Width: 4 inches (10.2 cm)