19th Century Tiffany & Co. Bronze Renaissance Style Figure of Mercury
View Similar Items
19th Century Tiffany & Co. Bronze Renaissance Style Figure of Mercury
About the Item
- Creator:Tiffany & Co. (Retailer)
- Similar to:Giambologna (Sculptor)
- Dimensions:Height: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)Diameter: 5 in (12.7 cm)
- Style:Renaissance (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:San Diego, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU93665808663
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is one of the most prominent purveyors of luxury goods in the United States, and has long been an important arbiter of style in the design of diamond engagement rings. A young Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed to his future wife, Eleanor, with a Tiffany ring in 1904. Vanderbilts, Whitneys, Astors and members of the Russian imperial family all wore Tiffany & Co. jewels. And Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis preferred Tiffany china for state dinners at the White House.
Although synonymous with luxury today, the firm started out rather modestly. Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young founded it in Connecticut as a “stationery and fancy goods emporium” in 1837, at a time when European imports still dominated the nascent American luxury market. In 1853, Charles Tiffany — who in 1845 had launched the company’s famed catalog, the Blue Book, and with it, the firm’s signature robin’s-egg blue, which he chose for the cover — shifted the focus to fine jewelry. In 1868, Tiffany & Co. gained international recognition when it became the first U.S. firm to win an award for excellence in silverware at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. From then on, it belonged to the pantheon of American luxury brands.
At the start of the Gilded Age, in 1870, Tiffany & Co. opened its flagship store, described as a "palace of jewels" by the New York Times, at 15 Union Square West in Manhattan. Throughout this period, its designs for silver tableware, ceremonial silver, flatware and jewelry were highly sought-after indicators of status and taste. They also won the firm numerous accolades, including the grand prize for silverware at the Paris Exposition of 1878. Among the firm’s glittering creations from this time are masterworks of Art Nouveau jewelry, such as this delicate aquamarine necklace and this lavish plique-à-jour peridot and gold necklace, both circa 1900.
When Charles Lewis Tiffany died, in 1902, his son Louis Comfort Tiffany became the firm’s design director. Under his leadership, the Tiffany silver studio was a de facto design school for apprentice silversmiths, who worked alongside head artisan Edward C. Moore. The firm produced distinctive objects inspired by Japanese art and design, North American plants and flowers, and Native American patterns and crafts, adding aesthetic diversity to Tiffany & Co.’s distinguished repertoire.
Tiffany is also closely associated with diamonds, even lending its name to one particularly rare and exceptional yellow stone. The firm bought the Tiffany diamond in its raw state from the Kimberley mines of South Africa in 1878. Cut to create a 128.54-carat gem with an unprecedented 82 facets, it is one of the most spectacular examples of a yellow diamond in the world. In a broader sense, Tiffany & Co. helped put diamonds on the map in 1886 by introducing the American marketplace to the solitaire diamond design, which is still among the most popular engagement-ring styles. The trademark Tiffany® Setting raises the stone above the band on six prongs, allowing its facets to catch the light. A lovely recent example is this circa-2000 platinum engagement ring. Displaying a different design and aesthetic (but equally chic) is this exquisite diamond and ruby ring from the 1930s.
- 19th Century Large Polychrome Santos CarvingLocated in San Diego, CAStunning large polychrome Santos carving from Spain, circa 1800s. The piece is hand carved in a soft wood with original paint, polychrome finish and gl...Category
Antique 19th Century Spanish Primitive Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsSoftwood
- 19th Century Brass and Iron Lion AndironsLocated in San Diego, CALuxurious and regal pair of 19th century iron and brass lion andirons. Beautifully sculpted, the brass lions, a symbol of regal strength, rest a top the a...Category
Antique Late 19th Century European Regency Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBrass, Iron
$4,200 / set - Figural Bronze Sculpture by Marilyn KukshtLocated in San Diego, CAFigural bronze sculpture by Marilyn Kuksht, circa 2000s. The piece is signed on the base and numbered 2/20 on the underside. The sculpture is in in very...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
- Set of Three Hand Carved Figural African Polychromed Colonial Style SculpturesLocated in San Diego, CASet of three hand carved figural African polychromed colonial style sculptures, circa 1970s. The set is in good vintage condition and each figure measures approximately 3" W x 3"D x ...Category
Mid-20th Century African Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsWood
- Hans Bolling Orskov & CO Teak and Beech Danish Modern Mexican FigureBy Hans Bolling, Orskov and CoLocated in San Diego, CAHans Bolling for Orskov & CO teak and beech wood figurine with furry mustache. Stamped on the bottom. Made in DenmarkCategory
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBeech, Teak
- "Story Teller" Figural Bronze Bust / Sculpture by D.S. WebbLocated in San Diego, CA"Story Teller" figural bronze bust / sculpture by D.S. Webb, circa 1979. The piece is in good vintage condition and measures 3.5"W x 4"D x 10"H. Well casted! #3284Category
20th Century American Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
- Italian 19th Century Renaissance White Glazed Porcelain Figural Group SculptureBy Giambologna, Carlo Ginori, CapodimonteLocated in Firenze, ITThis compelling Italian 19th century white glazed porcelain sculpture depicts ‘The Rape of the Sabines’, after a monumental work by the Renaissance artist, Giambologna (1529-1608) th...Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Renaissance Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsPorcelain
- 19th Century Bronze FigureLocated in London, GBA lovely bronze statue of a lady in Grecian dress being caught by a cupid holding an arrow. French, circa 1870.Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
- Pair of Bronze Sculptures of Mercury and FortunaBy Louis-Guillaume Fulconis, GiambolognaLocated in London, GBPair of bronze sculptures of Mercury and Fortuna French, late 19th century Measures: Mercury: Height 64cm, width 11cm, depth 27cm Fortuna: Heigh...Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
$8,269 / set - Pair of 19th Century Renaissance Style Bronzes by Jean Baptiste Germain, C1880Located in Central England, GBThis very fine pair of French bronze figures are by the highly acclaimed French sculptor Jean Baptiste Germain (1841 0 1910). They depict...Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Renaissance Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsBronze
- Pair of Beautiful 19th Century Italian Renaissance Gilt Bronze LionsLocated in New York, NYPair of Italian Renaissance (19th century) small gilt bronze lions on a pale green rectangular marble plinths.Category
Antique 19th Century Italian Renaissance Sculptures
MaterialsMarble, Bronze
- 19th Century French Bronze Group of Nessus Abducting DeianiraBy GiambolognaLocated in Dublin, IEFrench Grand Tour bronze group of Nessus abducting Deianira after Giambologna on marble base. After the model by Giambologna Circa 1880 French Footnote: The first documented example of this famous bronze group was made by Giovanni Bologna...Category
Antique 19th Century French Classical Greek Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsMarble, Bronze
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Sparkling Legacy of Tiffany & Co. Explained, One Jewel at a Time
A gorgeous new book celebrates — and memorializes — the iconic jeweler’s rich heritage.
15 Scintillating Jewelry Watches to Elevate Your Holiday Style
Watchmakers have tucked their movements into all manner of precious baubles, from lapel pins to cocktail rings. The result is dazzling, wearable art that will get you to the party on time.