On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Pair of vases
Drawing its form and decoration from Japanese sources, including objects on display in the surrounding cases, this pair of vases demonstrates the evolution of Tiffany’s Japanesque aesthetic. Copper, gold, brass, and other alloys were used to execute the decoration. On the underside of one vase is a stamp that reads "patent applied for," highlighting the firm’s commitment to protecting their innovative mixed-metal decoration. In his diary, the superintendent of Tiffany’s silverworks, Charles Grosjean, noted that even without a patent, it would be difficult for their competitors to replicate their methods of coloring metals because "many of the features of it are so contrary to theory."
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