Decorated with pink milkweed flower clusters against an iridescent gold ground, it was dated to 1898-1902.
Louis Comfort Tiffany established an enamelling department at the Stourbridge Glass Co (later renamed Tiffany Furnaces) in 1898. Although he had big aspirations in the field, the total output of these works was relatively small. Most enamelled pieces are stamped with Tiffany’s initials or his name in facsimile and stamped with a registration number preceded by the initials SG for Stourbridge Glass Co.
This piece, estimated at just $3000-5000 in the New York auction, was marked SG 139.
More light was shed on the subject of Tiffany enamels with the relatively recent discovery of the Tiffany Furnaces office scrapbook, featuring preparatory drawings and watercolours for enamelled works. It was sold by Christie's New York in December 2000 as part of the estate of Leslie Nash.
