MASSIVE HEAVY Leaded Glass “Apple Tree in Blossom” Tiffany Reproduction Lamp For Sale

MASSIVE Antique HEAVY Leaded Glass “Apple Tree in Blossom” Tiffany Reproduction

Intro:

So this is, quite honestly, a lamp that I believe could contend with - any - Tiffany make. I am 79 years old (turning 80 this year)… I’ve been collecting for going on 50 years, 5 DECADES, and this piece??? I’ve currently three authentic Tiffany pieces in my collection, at one point in my life - that number was 10. Yet — this — lamp is, by far, the most exquisite I’ve ever come across. It is my “showstopper,” the epitome of 50 years collecting. This is also a piece that I - never - imagined I would part with… how could I? Once gone, I know that I’ll never find another like it… I’ll never again experience its undying light… its warmth… the way it forced “hope” into even those gloomy, sad days… But, I am an old man… and while the light, warmth, and beauty of this lamp hasn’t faded as the years have gone by, the same cannot be said of myself. I make my own light these days - now the time has come to pass this piece on to someone who could use a little help, a little glow in their own lives.

Background:

In 1983 I was invited by a close friend of mine to attend an sale via Christie’s in NYC. A few iconic Tiffany ensembles were to “hit the hammer,” and (knowing I was a collector) my friend secured me an invite. The Tiffany’s were indeed - stunning - but I’ll never forget first laying my eyes on - THIS - piece. It was the most unique, most beautifully composed, most exquisitely colored lamp I’d ever seen. And - it was HUGE!!!! Even my friend (sitting next to me) who knew nothing about the hobby said, “Wow…. that thing is beautiful…” Yes… indeed it was/is. I wasn’t planning on offerding on anything that day (my wife and I saving our spending cash for a trip to Northern Italy, where her family is from) but as soon as saw that this lamp was to be featured in among the offered items for the day, I made my way to a pay phone. My wife listened as I tried (in vain) to adequately convey what I had seen. “Do it,” she said. And so, the lamp that is the epitome of my collection stands on our living room table in place of — Northern Italy… something my wife and I have - never - regretted.

The lamp has no ascribed “maker,” there have been guesses… some educated… I’ve had a handful of industry experts (and many collectors) look at this piece, yet it remains an anomaly. It has an estimated creation date of the early to mid ‘50s, and undeniably has that “Tiffany” aesthetic to it. That said, the 3-Dimensionality of this lamp (the way its apples quite literally ‘bow out’ from the shade) is something I’ve seldom seen when it comes to a table lamps that strive to “mimic” Tiffany thematically. This lamp (since 1983) has had but one owner (myself).

The Piece Itself:

This is the category of description that I am - not - looking forward to…. why? Because just as I knew when I was speaking to my wife on the phone back in 1983 that my words would fall short of doing this piece justice, I know they will fall short here - too…. Please please please spend some time really examining the photos attached to this listing… for the images will fill in the “gaps” of this description.

First of all — scale… this is a MASSIVE dome lamp, measuring about 18” ACROSS the shade, while the height of the shade is 13 inches. The base measures 11 1/2 inches across, and the piece (overall) is just under 30” in height (including the brass top). These are dimensions…. and I don’t care if you take the time to measures all of this out to try and come to a “visual understanding,” there is just no way to capture this lamp’s grandiosity and jaw dropping scale. We used to display this lamp with a medium sized Tiffany to left, and right (this piece being in the center). Ultimately, we moved this lamp to its own table. Why? It DWARFS even the other “larger” lamps in our collection… this lamp was clearly designed to be the “star of the show,” not to “share the spotlight” so to speak. Before we move on - the takeaway of this last paragraph of descriptor? BIG… this lamp is BIG.

Here we go…. the style of the lamp shade. As noted earlier, I’ve never seen anything like this. The heavy leaded glass is - perfectly - laid…. no opening in the shade whatsoever where an imperfect setting allows for “light leakage,” it is - seamless. The complexity of the design? Well…. look at the lamp shade from above. Does it not look like what you would see when looking into a kaleidoscope? The juxtaposition of hues? The perfectly cut tiny pieces next to larger pieces next to larger pieces? The top of the lamp, a cluster of perfectly composed leaded glass leaves of varying hues and thickness, create what resembles an artistic rendition of the sun. The yellowed branches…. segmented and “mosaic-like,” crawl across the entirety of the shade… their movement natural, not clumsy. Clusters of light green and dark green leaves end in 5 petals flowers…. all of varying colors and style. Some of these beautiful flowers even “overlap,” once again giving this shade an incredibly “natural” aesthetic. I’ve included some close up of the leaded glass leaves… for it is here that you can see the - stunning - handmade composition of this antique leaded glass lamp. Look at the closeup of the cluster of 4 leaves in the photo above. See the tiny bubbles trapped within? The striations in the hand painted glass? The striations from brush strokes quite literally look like veins running through the leaves… And then? There are the “apples.”

One of the aspects of this lamp’s color scheme that I have always been so captivated by, is its striking color contrast. There are elements of this shade that are similarly hued (its many hues) while other elements are strikingly “different.” Take the VIBRANT blue flowers…. or the warm yellow branches…. and, of course, that BLOOD red, huge apples that dot this shade in its entirety. The apples are arranged “at random,” again furthering the lamp’s natural theme. Since 1983, never a night has passed when I have neglected to turn this lamp on… and I have to say, all these years later? NOTHING compares to walking into the dark room where this lamp is housed, turning it on, and seeing the aura of heavenly hues that this lamp projects. The apples on this lamp are quite literally 3-Dimensional, rising from the surface of the shade and looking as though one could walk over - and “pick” one of those beautiful, bright red apples from one of its warm yellow branches…

So there you have it… the best I could do when it comes to describing all that is at play when it comes to the shade. The shade is capped off in antique, hand formed brass, with 6 holes cut in the top to allow light to emanate out from within. In some of the attache photos, you can see that this lamp casts light (and color) RADIANTLY! Look at the walls surrounding the lamp? See the beautiful “reflection” of projected light and colors present there? This lamp doesn’t just “glow” itself, the room you house it in - too - glows!

This lamp is “dual bulbed,” which - given its massive size, is a must (in order to illuminate such a massive, thick leaded glass shade). The dual bulb functionality means (of course) that you can opt to have both bulbs shine, or just one - for a softer look.

As for the base of the lamp? Well… it is the - perfect - accompaniment to such a shade… while the shade is (no doubt) the “star of the show,” the base itself is worthy of discussion and admiration. Antique brass/bronze, the shade was made in that highly sought after “Tiffany” style, mesmerizingly capturing to perfection the trunk of a tree… thereby completing our “apple tree in blossom” depiction. A nice touch? The “splayed out” roots at the base’s bottom…. reaching out and looking for that - just - the right spot in your home or office to “lay” its roots (:

Condition:

I am a stickler when it comes to condition…. someone who - absolute- nitpicks… which is why I’m calling to light what is this piece’s one and only “flaw,” if you want to call it that. When I purchased this lamp, across a single leaf occurring at the bottom of the shades - a perfectly linear “line” travels across the glass. This is (was?) actually a crack. The crack is very shallow, and does not pose a structural issue to the integrity of this singular leaf (or, of course, overall shade). In the early 2000s, my wife and I had this singular leaf “touched up” professionally, where a type of glass “sealant” of sorts was used to “fill in” what was already a surface level issue. When you run your finger over this leaf now, you can - barely - feel the change in surface texture. Nevertheless, I’ve included (and highlighted) this area of imperfection. Myself? Well… I’ve come to love this little “imperfection.” Perfectly imperfect… like that of the scene of nature it depicts.

PS: THIS LAMP LOOKS AMAZING ON - OR - OFF!! Sometimes you find a lamp (I’ve experienced this myself as a collector) that looks incredible when lit up, but not so much when turned off… with this piece? Stunning either way…

Parting Notes:

Here you have it…. a piece of my heart, a piece of my life, a piece that I hope continues to shed its light, its warmth, and its hope - long - after my time on this earth has passed. If you have any further questions, or would like to see any additional images, please do not hesitate to reach out in the form of an email. I will get back to you promptly.

~No overseas shipment.

Dimensions/Specs:

Shade:

18” Across

13” Height

Base: 11/12” Across

Overall Height: Just under 30” (with brass top).