Design for Salt Dish No. 1700
1867/68
Medium
Black ink on tan wove paper
Dimensions
13.3 × 17.5 cm (5 1/4 × 6 15/16 in.)
Classification
prints and drawing
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
105306
Art Historical Context
This delicate ink drawing captures a preparatory design for Salt Dish No. 1700, created by Tiffany and Company in 1867/68. As one of America’s leading producers of luxury silverware during the Gilded Age, Tiffany & Co. used such studies to refine elegant forms destined for wealthy households. The simple yet precise lines on tan wove paper reveal the careful planning behind objects that combined utility with refined ornament. Executed in black ink, the medium allowed designers to explore contours, proportions, and decorative details before the costly process of hammering and chasing silver beg...