Tiffany & Co./ Edward C. Moore Antique Sterling Silver Cigar Vase, Stand and Lighters in the Persian Taste, New York City, 1873-75

An extremely rare and fine piece of early Tiffany silver, this wonderful cigar accessory has a square stand, cylindrical vase and two pendant lamps. The stand has four paw feet on the corners and wonderful Persian style engraved decoration on a matted surface. The vase, with applied bands at the rim and foot, features similar Persian inspired engraved decoration on a matte background and retains its original gilded surface. On opposite sides, pendant lamps hang from applied holders. The base of the lamps, which acts as a handle, are Egyptianate – similar in look to bound sheaves of papyrus reeds.

Edward C. Moore, the first director of the silver division at Tiffany & Co., found inspiration in many exotic eastern designs. He amassed a large and important collection of Persian and mid-eastern items that was donated to the Metropolitan Museum upon his death. Moore's first documented use of mid-eastern inspired design was the 'Moresque' creamer and sugar that Tiffany exhibited at the 1867 Paris exhibition and is now in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Tiffany introduced the 'Persian' pattern in 1872, about the date of his cigar set.

Marked underneath 'Tiffany & Co./ 2974/ Quality/ 925-1000/ M/ 855/ Union Square'. It measures 6 inches high (to the rim of the vase) by 7 inches wide and weighs 22 troy ounces. It is in very good antique condition (there are a couple small dings on the lamps) and is monogrammed 'WVV' in an artistic block style on one side and 'WRV' in a cursive style on the other.