Tiffany & Co. Cut Glass Inkwell

1. Description

This is an American Brilliant Period (ABP) cut glass inkwell with sterling silver mounts.

• The Glass Body: The heavy clear crystal base is shaped into a distinctive, multi-lobed (scalloped) flower form. It is masterfully wheel-cut with an elegant, naturalistic Art Nouveau floral motif featuring water lilies (or lotus flowers), buds, and elongated stems curving along the lobes. The underside of the base is adorned with an intricate, deeply cut multi-pointed hobstar/starburst pattern.
• The Silver Mounts: The collar and hinged dome lid are crafted from solid sterling silver. The lower rim of the lid features a beautiful repoussé and chased border of repeating acanthus leaves or stylized waves.

2. Tiffany Bona Fides

This is an authentic piece by Tiffany & Co. Every aspect of the craftsmanship—from the high-fidelity deep glass cutting to the crisp, professionally stamped silversmithing marks—conforms precisely to the rigorous quality standards of the firm during its golden era.

3. Explanation of the Markings

The markings stamped on the silver neck collar provide the exact pedigree of the piece:

• TIFFANY & CO.: The official company signature.
• MAKERS: This indicates that the silver work was produced directly in Tiffany’s own proprietary silver workshops in New York rather than contracted out.
• STERLING & 925-1000: This certifies the metal purity standard. Charles Lewis Tiffany was influential in establishing the British  fine sterling standard as the official legal standard for American silver.
• The Numbers (11514 / 3340): These are the manufacturing record numbers. The number to the left of “MAKERS” is the pattern number (the original design archive number, which dates to the mid-1890s), and the number to the right is the order number (identifying the specific production batch).
• The Letter T: Stamped clearly at the bottom is the capital letter T. Tiffany utilized a unique system where a specific letter denoted the president/director of the company at the time of manufacture.

4. When did Tiffany make this?

The letter T represents the directorship of the company’s legendary founder, Charles L. Tiffany, who personally held the directorship mark from 1891 until his death in 1902. Given the custom engraving on the top, we can narrow down its exact completion date to 1902.

5. Meaning of the Engravings on the Lid

The lid features highly sophisticated, hand-engraved calligraphy commemorating a 25th Wedding Anniversary (Silver Anniversary):

• The Dates: At the top is 1877 and at the bottom is 1902. Exactly 25 years apart, these dates indicate that this high-end silver-mounted inkwell was commissioned or purchased as an elite Silver Anniversary gift.
• The Monograms: In the center, a flowing ribbon banner reads “FROM”. Flanking this ribbon are two sets of highly stylized, intertwined Victorian script monograms. This arrangement indicates a presentation inscription: the gift was given to a couple whose family monogram is on the left (stylized initials featuring a dominant B), presented FROM a family whose monogram is on the right (stylized initials featuring an M or S).