Pen tray
Medium
glasswares
Classification
glasswares
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Eric Larrabee
Accession Number
1997-11-5
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933) was a leading figure in American decorative arts, renowned for elevating everyday objects into works of beauty. This pen tray, created around 1910–1920, exemplifies his studio’s commitment to transforming functional items through masterful glasswork. As part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, gifted by Mrs. Eric Larrabee, it reflects the early twentieth-century desire to bring artistic refinement into the home and office. Tiffany’s innovative use of glass, particularly his patented Favrile technique, allowed for luminous, iridescent surfaces...