Master Art

Date:  1890
Period:  late 19th century
Medium: Enamel, Diamond
Signature: Signed 'TIFFANY & CO' within the pin hook, accompanied by the original Tiffany & Co case.

Dimensions: 5.9 cm (2³/₈ inches)
Literature: 
Literature. Illustrated:

'Tiffany Jewels' by John Loring, Harry N Abrams Inc., Publishers, 1999, p.115
Showing a talent for creativity and artistry, George Paudling Farnham (1859-1927), known as Paul or Paulding, was taken on as an apprentice by his uncle, Charles T Cook, Vice-President and later President of Tiffany. Completing his training under the Chief Designer, Edward C Moore, Paulding spent the late 1880s creating jewellery to be shown as part of Tiffany's world-class collection at the 1889 Paris Exposition. 



The 1889 Exposition Universelle coincided with the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution. Farnham created approximately 24 life-size orchids and other floral jewels composed of enamel, silver and green gold that were accented with pearls and gemstones. The flowers were created by moulding unannealed silver into the exact shape of the flower in life and coating the form in specially blended and prepared shades of enamel. Farnham's collection received a gold medal in the jewellery division at the Exposition. In the report of the United States Commission to the Exposition, the orchid brooches were called "one of the most striking features of the entire Exposition." The Paris Herald praised the collection for its "boldness and originality of design" and the Jeweler's Circular complimented Farnham "to whose genius the [United States] is indebted." After the Exposition, Farnham designed more varieties of orchid and flower brooches for the private market that were sold at the New York store.

Categories: Jewellery