The Magnolia Vase

Manufacturer Tiffany & Co.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 199


A triumph of enameling that reflects Moore’s enduring legacy, this commanding vase presided over Tiffany’s celebrated display at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. In keeping with the event’s theme, the anniversary of Columbus’s voyage, Tiffany touted the work’s "American" materials and design. Pueblo pottery was cited as inspiration for the shape, and Toltec or Aztec objects for the handles. The decoration references different regions—pinecones and needles symbolize the North and East, magnolias the South and West, and cacti the Southwest, while the ubiquitous goldenrod unifies the composition. The enameled blossoms captivated visitors, and one critic declared Tiffany’s display "the greatest exhibit in point of artistic beauty and intrinsic value that any individual firm has ever shown."

#4527. The Magnolia Vase, Part 1

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  1. 4527. The Magnolia Vase, Part 1
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The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American

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The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American
The Magnolia Vase, Tiffany & Co. (1837–present), Silver, enamel, gold, and opals, American

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