Tiffany Studios (American)
Jack-in-the-Pulpit Vase
c. 1900–1903
Hand-blown Favrile glass
17½ × 9¼ × 5 in.
Etched to underside: “L.C.T. Y5400”
This fine and sculptural Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase exemplifies Tiffany Studios’ mastery of organic form and luminous surface. Rising on a slender stem, the flared, asymmetrical mouth opens like a blossoming flower, its rippled rim and iridescent striations evoking the veining of petals. The shimmering gold, amber, and subtle violet tones shift with the light, a hallmark of Favrile glass, achieved through the manipulation of molten glass rather than surface decoration.
Produced during the peak years of Tiffany Studios’ glassmaking, Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases were among the firm’s most ambitious and technically demanding forms. Inspired by botanical motifs and the Art Nouveau emphasis on natural growth and movement, these works blur the boundary between functional object and sculptural art. This example, notable for its size and refined proportions, reflects Louis Comfort Tiffany’s belief that beauty should arise from the inherent qualities of material, craftsmanship, and form.
Provenance: Important Private Collection, Winnetka, Illinois
