Tiffany Studios New York "Poppy" Table Lamp

Set against a teal, mottled glass ground, the poppies in this Tiffany Studios New York “Poppy” lamp appear to sway in rhythmic harmony above a lower border of stylized foliage. Their centers are enriched with pierced brass filigree—a refined metalworking technique employed at Tiffany Studios to articulate delicate botanical detail in select shades. In this example, the filigree is applied to the interior surface of the shade, subtly evoking the vein structure of the leaves; when used on the exterior in other designs, the same technique instead accentuates the poppy’s intricate floral core, bringing it into sharper visual relief. The blossoms are rendered in varying phases of life: some droop in the final, fading stage of bloom, others rise in the early act of unfurling, with their elaborate, mesh-like centers. This progression of growth and decay animates the composition with a quiet naturalism. Below, a densely layered border of overlapping leaves provides a lush counterpoint to the more sparing arrangement above, their rich coloration and gentle striations introducing depth and grounding the design. The shade is mounted on a “Tyler” base, ornamented with onion cross-sections, extending the botanical vocabulary into the supporting structure.