The Magnolia Vase
ca. 1893
Medium
Silver, gold, enamel, and opals
Dimensions
Overall: 30 7/8 x 19 1/2 in. (78.4 x 49.5 cm); 838 oz. 11 dwt. (26081.6 g) Foot: Diam. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
Classification
Vase
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Winthrop Atwill, 1899
Accession Number
99.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the majestic *Magnolia Vase*, a tour de force of American decorative arts crafted by Tiffany & Co. around 1893. Standing nearly 31 inches tall and weighing an astonishing 838 ounces—equivalent to over 52 pounds—this monumental silver vessel captures the opulence of the Gilded Age. Its footed form, with a 13½-inch diameter base, blooms with intricate floral motifs inspired by magnolias, evoking the beauty of American nature. Tiffany & Co., renowned for its exquisite silverwork, elevated the vase through masterful techniques: repoussé and chasing on silver for textured depth, accented wi...
About the Artist
Tiffany & Co. · 1837–present
Tiffany & Co., founded on September 18, 1837, by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York City as a stationery and fancy goods store, quickly evolved into a premier American house for jewelry and decorative arts. Under Charles's leadership, the firm introduced innovations like the sterling silver standard in 1851 and the iconic six-prong Tiffany Setting engagement ring in 1886, establis...