Tiffany Studios

Louis Comfort Tiffany, Laurelton Hall, Laurel Hollow, New York

Sotheby Parke-Bernet, New York, Favrile Glass & Enamel, American Indian Basketry & Relics, Antique Oriental Rugs, Chinese and Japanese Furniture & Objects of Art, Paintings, Antiquities, Decorations, Belonging to the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, September 24, 1946, lot 289

Gennaro Migliaccio, Queens, New York, acquired from the above sale

Thence by descent

Sotheby's New York, December 6, 2023, lot 137

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Tiffany Studios did not specifically market large, or what have been come to be called Monumental, blown Favrile glass vases. They did, however, want to offer pieces that could compete in scale and visual power with any of the fine arts, including sculptures. These large Favrile vases generally rely upon a relatively conventional form and shape, but the decorations on many of them are incredible.

The exceptional vase offered here displays a symphony of colors and dazzling iridescence. The dynamic surface shifts and delights depending on the vantage and light it is viewed from, a feat worthy of a master glassmaker. It is no wonder that Louis Comfort Tiffany selected it for his own collection and displayed it at his Laurelton Hall estate. It was obtained by Gennaro Migliaccio directly from the storied Parke-Bernet auction of the estate’s holdings in 1946. Migliaccio, who emigrated from Naples to the United States, settled in Corona, New York, the home of Tiffany’s glasshouse. He met Tiffany, became enamored with Favrile glass and was fortunate to obtain a number of important objects from the 1946 auction. This vase is a lasting testimony to one collector’s passion and the artistic legacy of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

– PAUL DOROS