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Vase

1877
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 706
The opening of Japan to the West in the 1850s and subsequent displays of Japanese art at world’s fairs inspired great demand for Japanese-style objects in the United States. Edward C. Moore, the director of Tiffany’s silver department, was an early proponent and collector of Japanese art. The decorative motifs on this vase and their asymmetrical arrangement were clearly inspired by Japanese design. Originally, the vase had a lightly pebbled ground and oxidized accents that emulated Japanese metalwork. The silver workshop supervisor, Charles Gosjean, recorded in his diary that he visited the city's aquarium and also purchased fish from the Fulton Market, which he then had a colleague sketch. This dedication to close observation resulted in the highly accurate depictions of Chinese Brama fish on this vase.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Vase
  • Maker: Tiffany & Co. (1837–present)
  • Date: 1877
  • Geography: Made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Silver
  • Dimensions: 8 1/8 x 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (20.6 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm); 14 oz. 19 dwt. (464.5 g)
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. H. O. H. Frelinghuysen Gift, 1982
  • Object Number: 1982.349
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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Fish Mts. for Vase No 2978, Tiffany & Co., Ink and graphite on brown card, American
Fish Mts. for Vase No 2978
Tiffany & Co.
1877
Vase Nº 2980, Tiffany & Co., Ink, graphite, and crayon on heavy cream board/card, American
Vase Nº 2980
Tiffany & Co.
1872
Vase Nº 2979, Tiffany & Co., Ink, graphite, and wax pencil on heavy cream card, American
Vase Nº 2979
Tiffany & Co.
1872
Tiffany & Co. French & English Stationary Wedding Edition
Tiffany & Co.
ca. 1875
Fan, Tiffany & Co., Ostrich feathers, tortoiseshell, French
Fan
Tiffany & Co.
late 19th–early 20th century

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