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PH: Tiffany Studios was a decorative arts company $16,600 (25 bids, 3 bidders): Antique 1925
run by Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of Charles
Tiffany of Tiffany & Co. The company made luxury
goods such as familiar lamps, art glass, bronzes, and
desk accessories. Tiffany Studios operated in various
forms from 1878 to 1933.
Tiffany produced lamps with art glass and leaded
glass shades on a variety of bronze bases. This lamp is
referred to as “linenfold” where the shade is
comprised of pieces of glass that look like rippled,
pulled fabric and can run either vertical or horizontal.
The shade glass came in mostly subtle green or amber
coloring in several shapes and sizes to fit from wall
sconces up to chandeliers.
Tiffany lamps have two parts to the valuation: the
shade and the base. The same shade mounted on a
different base can change its value. In this instance,
the linenfold shade, while wonderful, is on a more
wonderful base. The form is an adjustable desk lamp,
but this example has an 8-footed base, which also
should be signed on one foot. It is not as typical as
several other bases for the desk lamp and was likely
more expensive when new.
I was able to locate many Tiffany desk lamps with
linenfold shades regularly selling at auction in the
$3,000-$5,000 range. However, I was only able to
locate two with this particular footed base (both fitted
with blue iridescent damascene bell shades)
that sold for $800 at New Orleans Auction
Gallery in 2010 and more recently for
$14,000 at I. M. Chait Auctions in Beverly
Hills in 2018. The only thing I can figure for
the difference in those prices is time.
o
Paul R. Minshull #16591. BP 12-25%; see HA.com. Licensed by the City of New Y ork #1364738/9-DCA 634475
Mills Violano Virtuosa. These instruments
were popular during the teens and 1920s. This
instrument has had a 100-point restoration by
the most well-known Violano technician in the
country. It looks and plays like new! It contains
a real violin and 44-note piano played mechan-
ically. It plays from rolls and has also been
retrofit with a M.I.D.I. system that contains
over 300 songs on its hard drive. (photos
courtesy of eBay seller rsp_6698.)
PH: The Violano Virtuosa was produced by
the Mills Novelty Company from 1909 to
1930 and is in effect an all-electric player 4-
string violin and 44-note piano in one cabinet.
Most were coin-operated for public spaces, but
few were produced for home use with just an
on/off switch. They played music from paper
rolls – most with five tunes, but up to 10 on a
roll are known. The rolls played from start to
finish without the ability to select a specific
tune. There are more than 6,000 tunes known.
Rumor has it that cello and xylophone
machines may also have been produced, but
none have been found.
I was able to locate one recent auction sale
of an American-located machine that sold via
the Swiss Auction Company of Degersheim, Switzerland, in October 2020
for 24,000 euros.
Philip Hawkins, ISA AM, AAG is an accredited member of the International Society
of Appraisers and a founding member of the Appraisers Association of Georgia. He
can be reached via the ISA website or at 404-320-7275.
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