Tiffany Studios New York "Vine Border" Plafonnier

This stunning Tiffany Studios "Vine Border" plafonnier features a striking yellow ochre shade with a grape leaf frieze. The vine border pattern was commonly found on Greek red-figure pottery, typically on vessels meant for storing or mixing wine. On such vessels, dionysiac groups of maenads and satyrs would carry grapevine branches and thyrsi, wands wound with grape leaves, carried during festivals and religious ceremonies. The plafonnier is capped with a richly textured turtleback tile. In his twenties, Tiffany was given early access to see the Cypriot antiquities collection of Met Museum director General Luigi Palma di Cesnola. The primitive beauty of the Cyprus' turtle carapace scale rings and bracelets delighted Tiffany, inspiring his turtleback tiles. The "Turtleback" tile was among the earliest innovations at Tiffany Furnaces in Corona New York. A large glass press created the appearance of hand wrought tiles, belying their industrial manufacture. Both the turtleback tile and iridescence distinguished Louis Comfort Tiffany as a luminary of glass innovation.