A BLACK OPAL, SAPPHIRE, DEMANTOID AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, LOUIS COMFORT TIFFANY FOR TIFFANY & CO.
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany, Louis Comfort
The pendant, set with an oval black opal within a multicolored enamel and gold grapevine frame, enhanced by oval-cut demantoids and old mine-cut sapphires, suspended from a small cluster of similar design, set with an old mine- cut demantoid, attached to a gold and multicolored enamel grapevine link chain, mounted in gold, circa 1920--18 ins. long
Signed Tiffany & Co.
Today, the name of Louis Comfort Tiffany is a household name. This was not always the case. During the 1930s through the 1960s, his work was largely overlooked in preference to the fashionable moderne style. The 1958 exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York raised the public's awareness of this great artist; however, it would take many more years before he received the credit he so rightly deserved.
Tiffany was truly a Renaissance man, achieving success in every avenue he pursued, moving from from one medium to another to satisfy his never-ending quest for unusual colorations as well as to express his interest in nature. And, now, at the end of the century, he has received his due and is appreciated for his significant contributions to American decorative arts. This has recently been brought to our attention with the two exhibitions last year devoted to his work, one at Tiffany & Co. focusing on his jewelry and, the other, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art highlighting his art in their collection, as well as the sale held at Christie's last December devoted solely to his work. This year saw the interest in this great artist leap across the ocean with the comprehensive show of his work at the Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg.
Tiffany was a great master, arguably the foremost master of American decorative arts and, as his art has become scarcer due to an increased demand both from the public and private sector, prices for his work have escalated. Like with all great masters, his work is so sought after that, it seems, every year yet another record price is set.
As with all artists, some pieces in Tiffany's oeuvre are more desirable than others. In his jewelry designs, it seems those with black opals, set within naturalistic mountings, generate the most interest...as well they should since these pieces epitomize his interest in color and nature. For the pendant offered here, he selected a black opal of such exceptional beauty that it becomes a work of art in itself.
Janet Zapata
Jewelry Historian