Possible German Attribution for Tiffany Studios Chair Model

Hello Dear Readers.  It has been far too long since I have last written.  The New York 20th century design sales are happening this week and between Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonham's it will prove to be a stellar showing.  Christie's in particular is offering many exceedingly rare works by my perennial favorite Armand-Albert Rateau.  Besides offering an iconic low table and ashtray they have this exquisite perpetual calendar model that I had never seen in the flesh.

Armand Albert Rateau, Perpetual Calendar, Christie's New York, 17 December 2015, lot 213, Estimate $150,000-$250,000 (Image:AestheticusRex)

But I digress...  When Christie's published their design catalogues just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday lot 336 stopped me in my tracks.

"Tiffany Studios" Armchair, Christie's New York, 18 December 2015, lot 336, Estimate $50,000-70,000
(Image: Christies.com)

In a previous post regarding viking revival furniture I wrote about another example of this chair model that was then a recent acquisition of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.  At that point the model was attributed to Tiffany Studios due to the fact that very closely related examples were part of the interior decoration of the Rembrandt Room within the Havemeyer Mansion, a celebrated Tiffany Studios commission. (The Havemeyer examples are of slightly grander proportion and have variations in the carving notably to the highly realized orbs on the arm posts).

Rembrandt Room within the Havemeyer Mansion, Fifth Avenue, New York
(Image via Metmuseum.org)

Some time after I published that post a follower contacted me to assert that the chair from Musee d'Orsay had received an updated attribution.  The shift is due to the uncovering of a period Art Journal article reviewing the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle.  It would appear that a German leather craftsman and furniture maker Georg Hulbe exhibited chairs of the same design.

The Art Journal, 1901, p. 132

Georg Hulbe Armchair Detail (note the flatter orbs)

The Christie's and Orsay examples visually relate to others offered at auction in the past decade (here, here, here, and here) and appear to be in-line with the period photograph attributing the model to Hulbe.  The Musee d'Orsay has updated their online catalogue to vaguely note Georg Hulbe as the author (designer?) and Tiffany Studios as the maker of their chair.  It is clear that more research needs to be done as countless scenarios are possible.  The Havemeyer examples could be the work of Georg Hulbe sub-contracting for Tiffany Studios or they could merely be Tiffany Studios executing Hulbe's design (or vice-versa).  It is also a reasonable hypothesis that examples of this armchair coming from old European collections may have precious little to do with Tiffany Studios whatsoever.  Until then the jury is out.  At the time of this posting Christie's has withdrawn the lot from their upcoming sale pending research.

Tiffany Wisteria Lamp sets Record at Sotheby's

Just a quick note in the new year dear readers.  The design auctions concluded just before the holidays and Sotheby's set a new world record for the Wisteria lamp model by Tiffany Studios.  For an in-depth discussion of this design and its market, see my previous post here.  Sotheby's distinctive example reached a staggering $1,565,000 against an estimate of  $600,000-800,000.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria Lamp, Sotheby's New York 18 December 2013, lot 330

The lamp had many things going for it.  It was slightly deeper in tone in person and had a range of mottled turquoise glass along the lower border which gave an added sense of depth.  The lamp also had the added benefit of an impeccable provenance.  The lamp descended in the family of Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza of Madrid who acquired the work around 1975.  I have known dealers to ask this price range for the Wisteria model in a retail setting so it seems clear to me that lamp was very likely purchased by a private buyer, pushing the bidding into the retail realm.  No details have surfaced yet, but I have a few ideas.

The previous record was also set by Sotheby's for a Wisteria from the collection of John M. Fowler.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria Lamp, Sotheby's New York 14 December 2007, lot 208

This example was similarly saturated in tones and also had a range of deeply mottled glass.  At the height of the pre-crash market it reached $881,000 against and estimate of $450,000-600,000.  While the Wisteria is not the rarest of examples it is infinitely desirable to collectors and nuanced, saturated examples have always been the largest movers in the market.  Throughout the 1970s auction records for the Wisteria climbed steadily from $16,250 for an example at Sotheby's London in 1971 to an example at Christie's in the fall of 1978 that moved the record to $52,800.  However, before the close of the decade the example would be one of the very first tiffany lamps ever to exceed $100,000 at auction.

Tiffany Studios Wisteria Lamp, Christie's New York 17 February 1979, lot 53 ($132,000)

The Wisteria in question came from the collection of Florida real estate magnates Eugene and Eleanor Gluck offered at Christie's in February of 1979.  For insight on the Gluck sale see my previous post here.  The period press described the Gluck's Wisteria as the best that had been seen at market achieving $132,000.  The catalogue image above seem's a bit dark but it appears to be a mottled example with greenish turquoise glass used in the lower register to articulate the blooms.  If this example were to hit the market today it would very likely exceed the newly established world record.  We shall wait and see what the future auction seasons bring us.  Until next time--AR.

Rare Tiffany Furniture on the Block at Ivey-Selkirk

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman carved and micromosaic inlaid side chair.    Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Hello dear readers.  A dedicated follower tipped me off to this exciting Tiffany consignment that has emerged at St. Louis regional auction house Ivey-Selkirk.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman set of four carved and micro mosaic inlaid primavera wood side  chairs    Image via Ivey Selkirk

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman micro mosaic inlaid carved primavera wood side table   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

The table is being offered on its own at $70,000-100,000 and the chairs are being offered as a set of four at $30,000-40,000.  While it is not in their description, the primary wood is tropical primavera which is a blonde timber with a fine grain not unlike mahogany.  The pieces are further embellished with fine wood and brass micro mosaic bands and small square panels.  The catalogue does correctly note that this group of furniture relates to the suite Tiffany and Colman created for the music room of sugar baron H. O. Havemeyer's Manhattan mansion.  A settee from that commission surfaced at Doyle New York in February of 2012 achieving a staggering $422,500.  You can read the details in my previous post.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman carved wood settee offered at Doyle's New York    Image via Doyle's New York

Music room of the H. O. Havemeyer house, New York, circa 1891   Image via Flickr

While the works are very similar in their exotic influence, carving and overall details, the Ivey-Selkirk group is actually a dead ringer for a pair of Tiffany/Colman armchairs in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Louis C. Tiffany and Samuel Colman  carved and micro mosaic inlaid primavera wood armchair, circa 1891    Image via Metmuseum.org

If I were a gambling man I would guess that they all were from the same original commission.  The table and chairs at Ivey-Selkirk have no listed provenance and the armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum merely list their 1964 donation by Mr. and Mrs. George E. Seligman.  While we do not know their origins they are all made of the same materials and match in the fine details.

Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk    Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art    Image via Metmuseum.org

The lush flowers are the same from their shallowly carved roots up to their overlapping leaves and blooms.  The array of fine micro mosaic inlays are exact as well.

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk    Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art   Image via Metmuseum.org

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk  Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Micro mosaic detail from the Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum   Image via Metmuseum.org

And while the table is now lacking its glass ball feet, there is evidence that it had them as the side chairs and the armchairs at the Met do.  Note the same reeded round tapered legs as well.

Leg detail from the Tiffany/Colman table at Ivey-Selkirk  Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Leg and caster detail from the Tiffany/Colman chairs at Ivey-Selkirk   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

Leg and caster detail from the Tiffany/Colman armchairs at the Metropolitan Museum   Image via Metmuseum.org

The table and side chairs are in "estate condition" meaning that it appears they have been untouched which is what serious collectors dream about.  It is much easer to improve fine chips, scratches and a darkened original finish than to attempt to reverse an aggressive restoration.  The Tiffany group at Ivey-Selkirk truly ticks all the boxes and I expect them fly at these conservative estimates.  Expect results well into the six figures for each lot.  I am positive all the requisite advisors, dealers and important collectors are circling as we speak.  Items like these do not come to light every season so this is a big deal in the Tiffany world.  I do hope that Metropolitan Museum has a donor step-in to buy the group as it would be a perfect ending to have this mystery Tiffany commission reunited at long last.  Until March 16th we wait.--A.R.

Tabletop detail of Tiffany/Coleman table at Ivey-Selkirk   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

UPDATE:

I have been in touch with the specialists at Ivey-Selkirk and have gotten a bit more information.  It appears that their Tiffany group of furniture was acquired by the family of the present owners in Washington, D.C. in 1968-69 from a house sale or other trade source.  As is often the case the trail has run cold.  In the course of my research (according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art) I read that Louis C. Tiffany displayed furniture with these Indian inspired inlays at the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago.  Tiffany described the micro mosaic as "patterns . . . made of thousands of squares of natural wood, one sixteenth-of-an-inch in size, of different colors, and each individual square surrounded by a minute line of metal."  To my knowledge there is no known image of the works displayed bearing this technique, so alas I cannot say with certainty that the Ivey-Selkirk group along with the Met Museum armchairs were at the World's fair.  But, it cannot be ruled out either.  They do not appear in the known images of the Havemeyer Mansion and precious little is known regarding other private commissions of that period.  Unusual Tiffany pieces have surfaced before achieving wild results with absolutely no provenance so I wouldn't rule out the present group or the World Fair connection.  We have a week to go and I for one am on pins and needles.  Until next time--AR.

Tabletop detail of Tiffany/Coleman table at Ivey-Selkirk   Image via Ivey-Selkirk

UPDATE:

Well dear readers...the sale is still ongoing as I am writing this but I can confirm that both lots have sold.  The table achieved a hammer price of $60,000 ($72,600 with premium) and the chairs sold for $45,000 ($54,450 with premium).  I was a bit surprised that they stayed comfortably within their estimates.  Perhaps it was their condition or the lack of deeper provenance information.  I am sure we will see these pieces again maybe at the Met Museum, an antique show or a larger auction in New York.  Until next time--AR.

Tiffany Coup For Michaan's Auctions

Hello dear readers, it has been far too long since my last post, but relatively speaking it was rather a slow summer for the art market in general.  As August winds to a close the September sale catalogues are upon us as are the flurry of fall press releases.  Asia Week will dominate a majority of next month as well as Sotheby's single owner sale of the Estate of Brooke Astor.  However, I was stunned by a major upset in the New York dominated Tiffany Studios market.  It appears that Michaan's Auctions (based in Almeda, California) has brought to market one of the best collections of Tiffany works of art in the world.  Michaan's beat out both Christie's and Sotheby's for the right to sell the "Tiffany Masterworks" from The Garden Museum in Japan.

Tiffany Studios "Grape" Table Lamp, Estimate $750,000-$850,000.  Photo courtesy Michaan's Auctions.

Detail, courtesy Michaan's Auctions.

This is quite a coup for the small California auction house considering that it was founded some ten years ago.  With the collapse of the economy, auction houses have become much more cautious about offering 0% terms, collateral loans, and guarantees in order to secure consignments but when they do come into play it is usually the larger houses that have the wherewithal to seal the deal...not so in this case.  According the their press release, Michaan's dug in deep and actually secured a group of private investors to acquire the contents of The Garden Museum outright and they will be selling it on their own behalf.  Quite risky and a very bold move for a smaller auction venue, but well played I must say.

Selection of lamps, a painting and favrile glass vases from The Garden Museum. Photo courtesy Michaan's.

The Garden Museum was the brainchild of fervent Tiffany collector Mr. Takeo Horiuchi aided by noted Tiffany expert Alastair Duncan after meeting at an exhibition in 1992.  From that point foreward, the pair worked closely together to track down only the best and most rarified works.  Horiuchi stuck by Duncan while he suffered a career setback that would have ruined others with lesser intestinal fortitude, but that is another story for another day.  Duncan played a major role in bringing this collection to market so it is a definite coup for him as well.

Wisteria and "Pony" Wisteria lamps from the collection.  Photo courtesy Michaan's.

From the press release, Japan's recent seismic activity and ensuing tsunamis motivated Horiuchi to disband the museum as he felt he could no longer ensure the long term safety of the works if they stayed in Japan.

Selection of highlights from the sale.  Photo courtesy Michaan's.

We will have to wait and see if a larger financial motivation comes to light.  The sale is oddly placed on November 17th, a full three weeks before the 20th century sales in New York.  I guess this will make it easier for collectors to to attend both the east coast and west coast sales but if I were Michaan's I would have had the sale in a pop-up space in New York to dominate the week typically won by Christie's and Sotheby's... but I digress.  More to come as the details unfold.  Make sure to secure your copy of Duncan's catalogue of the Museum published in 2002 as it will now likely become a scholarly collectors item.  Until next time--AR.

Rare Tiffany Settee at Doyle New York

Image via Doyle New YorkHello Dear Readers. Just a quick post this time but it is of the utmost importance. Thanks to an old colleague I was tipped off to this rare treasure that is slated to sell tomorrow (Feb. 8th) in Doyle New York's Belle Epoch auction. Let me introduce you to the Indian inspired carved wood settee crafted by Louis Comfort Tiffany for the music room of the H. O. Havemeyer house at 1 East 66th Street.





Image via Doyle New York
The modern upholstery may leave much to be desired but you must think it away. The Havemeyer mansion was one of the premier aesthetic movement homes in America when completed in 1892. Tiffany planned every detail of the decor and the music room was no exception.

Period Image of the Music Room
Unfortunately the home was razed in 1930 and its contents were divided by the family...some of which were disbursed. Thankfully for us many pieces have made it into public collections. From time to time they do appear at auction, but usually at Christie's and Sotheby's. Don't get me wrong, Doyle's is a New York institution, but you would expect a lot of this level to command the cover of an important December/June design sale. It is quite puzzling. Perhaps the consigner wants to sell discretely but the motive is unclear at this point.



















Image Doyle New YorkThe provenance shows that the settee descended in the Havemeyer family for four generations but there is no direct indication that it was consigned by the family. It is a bit confusing as that would only add cache to the lot. That said, I have absolutely no doubt that it will sell at its estimate of $125,000-175,000. If I were a gambling man I would guess that it will sell in the $250,000-300,000 range. But there is no telling. This work is so exceedingly rare that it could easily fly despite being discretely inserted in a smaller sale venue. Until tomorrow we wait.-AR

Update:
Well I was proven to be a bit too conservative in my exhuberence, perish the thought. The lot sold this afternoon for $422,500.00. It is no surprise because lets face it...where can you find another one in private hands? I will let you know if any further details surface.--AR

Update II:
Well that did not take too long. My contact at Doyle's confirmed that there were seven active bidders competing for the settee. The lot was won by the powerhouse art consultancy McClelland + Rachen bidding on behalf of a private client. They represent some of the best 20th century art collectors so I am not surprised by this news. Evidently the underbidder was Margot Johnson who featured prominently in a previous post about Herter Brothers. How exciting. Until next time.--AR

Holy Odin! Viking Revival Furniture?

In previous posts you have heard me bemoan the fact that once you really feel you know a subject you encounter something that makes you inspired and shocked at the same time. Now, 700 years ago when I was in graduate school I was fascinated by the revival styles of the 19th century. Most who have spent any time studying this "Romantic" period from the 1830s-1900 are well aware of the usual suspects: gothic revival, rococo revival, greek revival, renaissance revival etc. They dominated the decorative vocabulary of the period until they were decried by the Arts and Crafts movement and supplanted by Art Nouveau and the proto-modernism of the Secessionist Movement but I digress. It was on a recent business trip to Paris that I was re-acquainted with the unusual revival subset: Viking/Celtic revival. Enter the Musee d'Orsay's very recent acquisition (2010): a monumental stained oak armchair by Tiffany Studios.

Detail

Now this particular model with its strapwork embossed leather and similarly carved oak was not such a surprise as I had seen it at auction once before... which begs the question... might they be one in the same?

Photo via Sotheby's

Detail, Photo via Sotheby's

This second example was offered at Sotheby's New York in June of 2008 but failed to sell at the hefty estimate of $180,000-240,000. Who knows if there was embossed leather lurking under that shabby later velvet upholstery. When this chair was up at auction the catalogue drew comparisons to another Tiffany commission, the well known Havemeyer home at 1 East 66th Street... more specifically the Rembrandt Room. Thankfully a chair from this long demolished somber study is preserved in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Photo via Metmuseum.org

As you can see they only vary in minor ways. The carvings are both derived from Scandinavian/Celtic ship carvings and metalwork. This nautical connection reminded me of Tiffany's earlier work at the 7th Regiment Armory on Park Avenue. Specifically the carved dado, ceiling and friezes of the Veteran's Room.

Photo via The Classicist Blog

This viking iconography fits within the realm of a military setting but one would have to think that in the domestic sphere it was just one of many exotic styles at Tiffany's disposal. Later on my trip I made my way to London and spent an afternoon at the Victoria & Albert Museum and was stunned to find yet another example of the viking revival style. Enter Norwegian designer Lars Kinsarvik's armchair presented at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail, Photo via Vam.ac.uk

In reading the cataloging for this piece it became clear that this example was less about romanticism but more about nationalistic pride. At this point Norway was still under Swedish control and the designer was clearly looking at recent archaeological discoveries of Viking vessels for his decorative motifs. The chair supports are derived from anthropomorphic ship prows. The museum's research goes on to state that Norway insisted on having its own pavilion at the fair separate from that of Sweden. Thankfully Norway would have its independence some five years later. So within context this example is less quirky when understood as a nation's rallying cry. If any readers have other examples of this decorative subset I would be more than intrigued to see them!

Unusual Tiffany Clock Sells at Bonhams

Despite a few bright spots, for the most part the June design auctions were a pretty standard affair. Bonhams however presented a delightfully odd yet art historically interesting clock. I have gushed in the past about Tiffany Studios lamps and glass but I have also tried to enlighten my readers on the less commercially popular areas of the firm's production. I present this unique Tiffany & Co. carved mahogany and enameled hall clock.

Now I admit it is a bit quirky but it was produced in 1887 so the decorative vocabulary is straddling a ménage à trois of aesthetic movement, beaux arts and budding art nouveau sensibilities. While it wouldn't qualify as a "hot mess" in todays terms, it definitely has a lot going on. This is understandable as it was made to be a tour de force showpiece likely destined for a world exposition. While people are very familiar with the glass production, most are not aware that Tiffany Studios had a substantial furniture workshop and an enameling division...both seen at work on this piece.

The teardrop face is exquisitely enameled and the resulting design falls somewhere between Anglo-Japanese and art nouveau and as the lot footnote indicates it was likely the handiwork of Paulding Farnham, Tiffany's design director who had a keen interest in the firm's enamel workshop.

The waves and cascades of the case are virtuosic and are only limited by the constraints of the rather traditional silhouette of a conventional tall-case clock. While it is not everyone's taste it achieved $91,500 blasting past its pre-sale estimate of $25,000-35,000. The bold price comes down to rarity...where else are you going to find a Tiffany clock of this stature? But if you are interested in Tiffany Studios furniture pieces, they can be had at more modest levels.

This rather traditional gate-leg table was produced in the heyday of Tiffany Studios and can be purchased from M. S. Rau Antiques for the asking price of $29,850. But don't fret dear readers if you watch the auctions models such as these appear at more realistic estimates of $2000-3000.

Detail of the Tiffany brand.

This finely carved Queen Anne style stunner was sold at Burchard Galleries last fall for a reasonable $400.

Detail of brand.

This pair of baroque style hall chairs surfaced at Rago Arts and Auction Center in the summer of 2005 and brought a tidy $4250 against a $5000-7000 estimate. They are similarly branded as the others.

This Italian rococo style console table forms part of an extensive Tiffany Studios "Royal Venetian" bedroom suite that Bonhams offered in the summer of 2010 at an estimate of $10,000-15,000 but it failed to find a buyer... perhaps it was too much of a "look" but lets not digress.

This Tiffany Studios mahogany what-not was sold by Treadway Gallery in December of 2007 for $2500. As you can see, when it comes to Tiffany there is something at every level spanning a broad range of tastes.