"Chrysanthemum" tea set; Tiffany & Co., c. 1905.

“Chrysanthemum” tea set; TIFFANY & CO, ca. 1905.
Starling silver.
Measurements: 24 x 18 x 13 cm; 4.5 x 50 x 83 cm.
Weight: 2,776 g.
Tea set from the renowned American firm Tiffany & Co., part of the iconic Chrysanthemum collection, one of the most representative designs in ornamental silverware from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally conceived in 1880 by Charles T. Grosjean, the firm’s artistic director, this pattern stands out for the extraordinary richness of its naturalistic repertoire and for the decorative exuberance characteristic of the American Gilded Age aesthetic—a period in which silver services served as central pieces in the display of social status and domestic ceremonial occasions
The ornamentation of the pieces that make up the set— sugar bowl, teapot, milk pitcher, and tray is articulated through an elaborate relief of blooming chrysanthemums and sinuous leaves, which envelops the bodies of the pieces and extends to the handles, finials, and bases, integrating the decoration into the very structure of each object. The meticulous rendering of the botanical elements creates an evocative interplay of light and shadow on the silver’s surface, accentuating the depth of the relief and the sculptural quality of the set.The Chrysanthemum model embodies the fascination of American society at the time with botanical motifs and Japanese art, against the backdrop of the Japonism movement and the Western reinterpretation of Asian ornamental traditions.
Founded in New York in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young, Tiffany & Co. evolved from a specialty store into one of the world’s leading luxury houses. Throughout the 19th century, the firm stood out for the excellence of its goldsmithing, the innovation of its designs, and the quality of its materials, pioneering the adoption of the 925-thousandths sterling silver standard in the United States in 1851.