MARKED TIFFANY & CO., 1891-1902

These silver-gilt bowl holders were probably produced under the direction of Paulding Farnham, chief silver designer at Tiffany & Co. from 1899 to 1908. Farnham designed a series of objects in the Renaissance Revival style which celebrated the era of Francis I of France, and stressed a break from the more feminine aspects of the Victorian era. Farnham's Renaissance designs were showcased at the 1900 Paris Exposition and then again at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Unfortunately for Farnham, his ideas clashed with another creative genius at Tiffany & Co., Louis Comfort Tiffany who named himself design director in 1902. L.C. Tiffany did not share Farnham's enthusiasm for the Renaissance Revival which so completely opposed his own Art Nouveau style. Farnham and his ideas were pushed further from the spotlight until he resigned in 1908.