This Tiffany Studios table lamp with a 20-inch leaded-glass Daffodil shade on a bronze Ribbon base, 25 inches tall, earned top-lot honors, selling for $73,800 ($50/70,000).
Review by Carly Timpson
DENVER, PENN. — Morphy Auctions’ annual Winter Fine & Decorative Arts Auction, December 10-11, showcased more than 1,150 lots from all categories, including 37 leaded- and stained-glass lamps, fine art, general antiques, glassware, jewelry, musical instruments, pottery, firearms and more. When the two-day sale closed, it had amassed more than $1.8 million in total. President Dan Morphy noted, “Interest remained steady throughout, and online participation contributed to strong results across all categories.”
One of 17 offered lamps from Tiffany Studios became the sale’s highest-achieving lot, selling for $73,800. The Daffodil leaded glass table lamp had a 20-inch diameter shade with green, yellow and orange daffodils decorating a blue background. As described in the catalog, “The reeds on the daffodils have incredible complexity with a myriad of colors, ranging from light green, mint green, darker greens and even shades of blues. The daffodil blossoms themselves are remarkable with intense mottling in their golden orange and yellow blossoms.” In total, the lamp was 25 inches tall, paired with its original Tiffany Studios three-socket patinated bronze Ribbon base and Flower Petal perforated heat cap.
Selling one lot before the auction’s star was a Banded Dogwood example with a rare color palette, according to the catalog. It featured an emerald green geometric pattern toward the top, transitioning to cranberry red toward the bottom, and a vibrant band of mottled red-and-white dogwood flowers around the middle. On a telescopic reticulated table base with a pomegranate motif, both pieces were signed and it brought the sale’s second-highest price of $54,120. Another top finisher, a 16-inch-diameter Apple Blossom table lamp on a three-socket bronze “bump-style” base brought $20,910.
Bringing $54,120, and the second-highest finish, was this Banded Dogwood table lamp by Tiffany Studios, 31 inches tall, 20 inches in diameter ($50/70,000).
The Tiffany family was not represented solely by lighting: several lots of Tiffany Studios desk articles, a Tiffany Studios tea screen and nine lots of silver and gold fashions from Tiffany & Company also crossed the block. Designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Company, an 18K yellow gold Croisillon X bracelet with blue paillonné enamel sold, with its original marked “Tiffany & Co. / New York” box, for $36,900. In very good to excellent condition, just one of the panels had minor touch ups to the enamel, and bidders pushed it close to its high estimate.
Surpassing its high estimate by nearly 180 percent, an iridized Mushroom vase designed by Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer and executed by Clément Massier in Golfe-Juan, France, topped off at $41,820. The vase stood 14 inches tall and featured protruding mushroom stems around the base with iridescent caps detailed on the vase’s surface. The circa 1900 piece was both signed in slip and impressed for Massier on its underside.
Another fantastical vase made an impression on bidders: a Humpback Dragon vase from Amphora pottery. This example, designed by Eduard Stellmacher circa 1901, featured a full-bodied dragon climbing around the vessel’s body. The highly-detailed beast had gold gilding and beckoned a $16,380 result. The piece bore all appropriate markings, including the Amphora oval, crown and model number.
This Amphora glazed hard-earthenware Humpback Dragon vase, designed by Eduard Stellmacher, Austria, circa 1901, 20¼ inches tall, found a new lair for $16,380 ($12/18,000).
Holiday gift guides often suggest jewelry or watches for loved ones, and savvy shoppers know to find some of the best pieces at auction. An 18K gold men’s ring set with a 5.37-carat fancy yellow diamond led the selection at $41,820, which may have been a steal. The accompanying GIA report noted that the modified brilliant-cut natural diamond was only “very very slightly included” — the only better grades are “flawless.”
If fancy yellow diamond rings were what you sought, this auction had another option. This one, a ladies’ ring in 18K white and yellow gold had a central 3.05-carat cushion-cut yellow diamond surrounded by 28 round yellow diamonds (0.14 carats) and further accented by 94 colorless round brilliant diamonds (0.55 carats). It was bid to $29,520.
A 17-inch-long platinum necklace set with nearly 30.5 carats of graduated diamonds had an original AIGL appraisal report with an estimated retail replacement value of $168,775. One Morphy bidder got lucky, taking the dazzling piece home for just $30,750.
With a brown dial, this men’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master in 18K gold was bid to $29,520, despite some condition issues ($6/9,000).
Timepieces included a men’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master in 18K gold with a brown dial. Sold with its original box, the watch and bracelet were reported to have “considerable signs of wear,” including “tropical spotting.” Still, bidders took a chance and pushed it to $29,520, well past its $9,000 high estimate. A Patek Philippe private label hunter-case pocket watch, on a 13½-inch 14K gold chain, was claimed for $7,380. The 18K gold case was marked “A.W.C.CO” on its inside, and the white dial was marked “Ryrie Bros, Toronto.”
As Morphy’s presale announcement stated, “Only the finest silver will do for holiday entertaining.” A standout result in the category was a Black, Starr & Frost coffee and tea service in the Shell & Thread pattern. Comprising seven pieces — coffee pot, tea pot, sugar bowl, creamer, waste bowl and tray — “the gross approximate weight is a hefty 269.7 troy ounces.” The set exceeded its $12,000 high estimate, serving up a $13,530 result.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For more information, www.morphyauctions.com or 877-968-8880.
