Smokin’ results at Sotheby’s Tiffany Dreaming in Glass sale, December 16, 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.


I don’t know what they were smoking at Sotheby’s Tiffany Dreaming in Glass sale yesterday, December 16, 2015, but bidders were in a fine mood. Sales totaled $7,679,250 for the small 59-lot auction. 8 lots failed to sell, but that worked out to a very impressive average of $150,573 for the other 51 sold lots.

Tiffany Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby's lot #211

Tiffany Dragonfly table lamp, Sotheby’s lot #211

Top lot of the sale was #211, a Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Dragonfly table lamp, descended in the family of Andrew Carnegie. Provenance doesn’t get better, which showed in the results. It flew past the estimate of $250,000 — $350,000 to realize a truly remarkable $2,110,000, including buyer’s premium. Wow!

Tiffany Studios Pebble lamp, Sotheby's lot #244

Tiffany Studios Pebble lamp, Sotheby’s lot #244

The second highest lot was another lamp, a relatively small, but rare, Tiffany Studios Pebble design, made with real pebbles. It wasn’t my cup of tea, so I wouldn’t have even bid the low estimate. But the bidders didn’t ask me first. They were hot to trot and shelled out 760,000 bananas, against a pre-sale estimate of $200,000 — $300,000.

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Sotheby's lot #223

Tiffany Favrile blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase, Sotheby’s lot #223

The top Tiffany Favrile glass lot of the sale was #223, a gorgeous blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase. I wonder if this is the vase that I bought together with another dealer about 35 years ago. It looked really familiar. It sold for $118,750, well above the pre-sale estimate of $50,000 — $80,000. Christie’s is going to sell another blue Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase this Friday, but I don’t think it’s as pretty. It should sell for less than this one.

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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