Tiffany & Co Aesthetic Movement Antique Sterling Silver Japonesque Salver, New York City, 1874

An outstanding example of Tiffany's early Japanese style designs of the aesthetic movement, this salver features dramatic bright-cut engraved scenes.

Unusual is the line going down the center separating the two scenes of land and sea on the left and birds and sky on the right. The crane is frequently incorporated into Japanese designs in textiles, woodworking and ceramics and is known to symbolize happiness and good fortune. Here we see four cranes flying amongst stylized clouds.

The left section is a romanticized scene. A sun hangs above Mount Fiji with exotic foliage and a fence. In the rippled water a small boat is propelled by a figure.

The two variations of Japanesque scenes are visually interesting and attests the growing interest in Eastern culture and its influence on design.

Even the shape is uncommon. The edges are rounded instead of being square. A lovely applied band of thatched basket-weave design decorates the rim. This beautiful salver is raised on four feet. Also beautiful and of great quality, the feet incorporate a cloud-inspired design with a cutout in the center (see below).

On the reverse is a lovely engraved monogram and date 'JJL/ MAY 14th 1874'.

This stunning small tray is marked 'TIFFANY & Co./ QUALITY 925-1000/m/ UNION SQUARE' with model inventory numbers ''1886/3141'. It measures 9 inches wide by .75 inches high, weighs 17.65 troy ounces and is in very good/excellent antique condition with very minor surface etching.