Tiffany & Co. Japanesque Sterling Silver Fern Inkstand

Description

This is an exceptional Tiffany & Co. Aesthetic Movement (Japanesque) sterling silver inkstand, characterized by its organic nature motifs and signature hand-hammered surface finish.

Key Features

• Stand & Base: A tray with concave, bowed sides and a hand-hammered (martelé) field. It sits on four applied Japanesque-style bracket feet at the corners.
• Foliage Decoration: The tray surface features a combination of finely etched grasses, vines, and dramatic, high-relief applied silver fern fronds sweeping across the foreground and side margins.
• Inkwells: Two fixed, globular inkwells flank the central box. Each features a hinged lid capped with an applied curving fern frond following the contour of the dome.
• Central Stamp Box: A central rectangular housing contains two sliding drawer compartments designed to store postage stamps, complete with tiny pull rings on the drawer fronts.
• Monogrammed Lid: A removable fitted lid covers the top of the stamp box, featuring an intricate, engraved Victorian monogram (G.F.S.) over a hammered background.

Inscription Details

Engraved in formal Spencerian script on the underside of the tray base:

George F. Shrady M.D.

with the high esteem

and gratitude of a patient

Historical Note on the Recipient

Dr. George Frederick Shrady (1837–1907) was a prominent New York surgeon, founder and long-time editor of the Medical Record, and a leading medical authority of his era. He famously served as one of the primary attending physicians to former President Ulysses S. Grant during his terminal illness in 1885.

Date & Maker’s Marks

The underside of the center compartment bears the official Tiffany silver marks:

TIFFANY & CO

6258 M 4169

STERLING-SILVER

2161

• Directorship Mark (“M”): The capital letter ‘M’ signifies production under the directorship of Edward C. Moore, head of Tiffany & Co.’s silver department from 1853 until 1891 (the ‘M’ stamp was used between 1873 and 1891).
• Pattern Number (6258): Tiffany’s silver pattern numbering sequence places pattern 6258 right at circa 1880–1881.
• Order / Item Number (4169): Identifies the specific workshop order number for this custom-commissioned piece.

Date of Manufacture: Circa 1880–1882.