Vase
Unknown Artist
This object form part of a group of glass vessels and enamel containers Louis Comfort Tiffany loaned to the Museum in 1925 that were later given to the Museum by the Tiffany Foundation in 1951 (51.121.1–.44). Tiffany originally chose this group of objects to show examples of form, technique, and color that were not represented in the 1896 Havemeyer gift (96.17.9–.56). The crusty, pitted surface and rainbow iridescence of this "Cypriote" vase represents Tiffany's attempt to replicate the surface effects found on the ancient Roman and Syrian glass he displayed at Laurelton Hall. The effect was achieved by rolling the parison of molten glass on a marver covered with pulverized glass crumbs and then exposing the surface to metallic fumes.
Credit: Gift of Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, 1951