Pair of Venetian Bookends

Made in New York, sometime after 1910

ORIGINAL COLLECTION OF DR. EGON NEUSTADT 

Tiffany’s desk set designs drew from an array of historical sources. The Venetian pattern seen on these bookends was described in a Tiffany Studios’ brochure, entitled Desk Set and Useful Articles (1910), as being “decorated with fields of richly chased ornament relieved by a deeply carved band of ermines at the base of each piece. The style of decoration was used extensively in the Sixteenth Century by Venetian craftsmen in making tooled leather objects.”

Created by Tiffany Studios (1902–1932) under the artistic direction of Louis C. Tiffany (1848–1933)
Bronze, gilded; polychrome enamel
Height 6 1/8 in.; Width 5 1/8 in.; Depth 4 3/4 in.
"BOOK ENDS. [No.] 1683. Venetian, Color Inlay" (as described in: Price List, October 1, 1929, Tiffany Studios, New York)
Marked: "Tiffany Studios"/"New York"/"1683"
N.86.A.09a,b

Photo: David Schlegel