Fair results for the Tiffany portion of Christie’s Design sale, December 18, 2015

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Christie’s New York held their Design sale on December 18, 2015 with total sales of $5,169,125 for the 152-lot auction. The first 36 lots of the sale were Tiffany Studios items. 10 of those failed to sell, which worked out to a total of $1,378,500 for the Tiffany, for an average of $53,019 for the 26 sold lots, considerably below the results of Sotheby’s Tiffany sale two days earlier.

Tiffany Studios 22" Peony table lamp, Christie's lot #318

Tiffany Studios 22″ Peony table lamp, Christie’s lot #318

Top lot of the Tiffany portion of the sale was #318, a Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Peony table lamp, with a rare Favrile glass ball base. It sold below its pre-sale estimate of $180,000 – $240,000, realizing $173,000, including buyer’s premium.

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Christie's lot #311

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Christie’s lot #311

Oops on my prediction that the Christie’s blue Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase would bring less money than the example at Sotheby’s. Christie’s Jack, lot #311, sold for an incredible $161,000, including buyer’s premium, against a pre-sale estimate of $80,000 – $120,000. That was $42,250 more than the $118,750 spent on the Sotheby’s example. I thought the color on the Sotheby’s example was much better than Christie’s, but Christie’s example was bigger by 2″, 21¼” versus 19¼”. That worked out to $21,125 per extra inch. Whew!

Rare Tiffany Studios inkwell, Christie's lot #317

Rare Tiffany Studios inkwell, Christie’s lot #317

Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell, Nadeau's Auction,  October, 30, 2010

Tiffany Studios turtleback inkwell, Nadeau’s Auction, October, 30, 2010

Lot #317 was a rare Tiffany Studios Turtleback triple inkwell. It also sold below its estimate of $30,000 – $50,000, realizing $25,000, including buyer’s premium. This is only the second time I’ve seen this inkwell come up for sale at auction. A far better example sold at Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Windsor, Connecticut, on October, 30, 2010, for $37,500. It had three distinct colors, red, blue and green and a much better patina. It’s my understanding that the dealer who bought it subsequently sold it for $75,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click here.


I’ve been quite busy buying and selling recently, partly because I’ve listed many new items on my website. I really need to buy more, so if you have something great, please offer it to me for sale. I am paying the highest prices of any dealer. My decisions are quick and my payments just as quick. Just snap a photo and email me a jpeg.

I will continue to list more as often as possible. Please click here to take a look.

We’re still very much in business between shows, especially since there are fewer shows nowadays. Please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

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