Tiffany & Co. and Edward C. Moore "Vines and Butterflies" Silver Scent Bottle Chatelaine
Regular price
$15,000
An exquisite blend of Western craftsmanship and Eastern symbolism, this Tiffany & Co. "Vines and Butterflies" scent bottle offers a fascinating glimpse into 19th-century design and cultural exchange. The bottle is suspended from a leaf-shaped chatelaine. Traditionally worn at the waist, chatelaines were designed to hold everyday essentials such as sewing, writing, or toiletry implements. Both the scent bottle and the chatelaine feature Tiffany & Company’s signature vine and butterfly motif. The design is richly detailed: the leaves are finely engraved and gilded in copper and yellow metal, while the butterflies are gilded in copper.
The leaf motif draws inspiration from the paulownia crest, historically associated with the Japanese imperial family and later adopted as the emblem of the Japanese government after the Meiji Restoration. The bottle itself is shaped like a calabash, a symbol of fertility, longevity, and good fortune in various Asian traditions. In Taoist mythology, it was carried by one of the Eight Immortals, filled with medicine or water to aid the poor and the sick. This distinctive form became a prominent feature in Chinese porcelain and likely served as a key source of inspiration for Edward C. Moore. Through its intricate design and layered cultural references, this piece reflects Edward C. Moore’s deep appreciation for Asian aesthetics and Tiffany & Co.’s commitment to artistic innovation.
Item #: T-21992
Artist: Tiffany & Co.
Country: United States
Circa: 1880
Dimensions: 6.75" height, 1.5" width, 1.25" depth{overall} ; 3.25" height, 1.25" width, 1.125" depth {flask}
Materials: Silver and Mixed Metals
Gram Weight: 81 grams (2.60 troy ounces)
Signed: TIFFANY & CO., 4918 M 1549, STERLING, 671, AND OTHER METALS
Item #: T-21992
Artist: Tiffany & Co.
Country: United States
Circa: 1880
Dimensions: 6.75" height, 1.5" width, 1.25" depth{overall} ; 3.25" height, 1.25" width, 1.125" depth {flask}
Materials: Silver and Mixed Metals
Gram Weight: 81 grams (2.60 troy ounces)
Signed: TIFFANY & CO., 4918 M 1549, STERLING, 671, AND OTHER METALS
Edward C. Moore first presented silverwork for Tiffany & Co. at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, marking his debut on the international stage. This event also introduced Japanese arts and crafts to France through the Meiji government’s exhibition of lacquerware, ceramics, woodblock prints, arms, armor, and textiles. Inspired by these works, Moore began incorporating Japanese techniques and motifs into his creations. By the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle, Moore’s Japonisme had reached its peak. Among his masterpieces was a Japonist pitcher, earning the Grand Prize in its category. Siegfried Bing praised Moore’s work, noting: “Although their concept was not inherently original—their decorative principles were directly borrowed from the Japanese—their borrowed elements were so ingeniously transposed to serve their new function that they became the equivalent of new discoveries.” The millions of visitors to the Exposition marveled at the grace, harmony, and restraint in Moore’s silverwork, exemplified by this pitcher.
Edward C. Moore first presented silverwork for Tiffany & Co. at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, marking his debut on the international stage. This event also introduced Japanese arts and crafts to France through the Meiji government’s exhibition of lacquerware, ceramics, woodblock prints, arms, armor, and textiles. Inspired by these works, Moore began incorporating Japanese techniques and motifs into his creations. By the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle, Moore’s Japonisme had reached its peak. Among his masterpieces was a Japonist pitcher, earning the Grand Prize in its category. Siegfried Bing praised Moore’s work, noting: “Although their concept was not inherently original—their decorative principles were directly borrowed from the Japanese—their borrowed elements were so ingeniously transposed to serve their new function that they became the equivalent of new discoveries.” The millions of visitors to the Exposition marveled at the grace, harmony, and restraint in Moore’s silverwork, exemplified by this pitcher.
