Location
Royal Armouries Museum
Guns decorated by the famous New York silver firm Tiffany & Co. occupy a special place in both arms and art histories. The lecture will explore this fascinating, beautiful, and little-studied group of objects, revealing recent exciting discoveries made during preparation for a major exhibition at The Met.
Rifles and pistols sculpturally decorated by the famous New York City silver firm Tiffany & Co. in the 1880s-90s occupy a special place in firearms history. Tiffany began decorating arms in the 1840s, but the firm’s finest embellished firearms of the late nineteenth century marked the end and highpoint of this long tradition, ranking among the most accomplished and creative works Tiffany produced in the 1800s. Created as promotional objects for display at international exhibitions, and for the private enjoyment of wealthy customers, these objects were designed to awe. As a group they express the great range of materials, techniques, and artistic inspirations employed by Tiffany’s designers during this period.
This lecture will introduce and explore these unique, beautiful, and little-studied firearms, and reveal discoveries made during preparations for a major exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in which they will be prominently featured: Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co. (9 June 9 – 20 October 2024). It will discuss the Met’s diverse group of ten Tiffany-decorated firearms—the largest of its kind—in conjunction with never-before-seen materials from the Tiffany & Co. Archives, rare photographs, and remarkable Tiffany objects from other fields—from jewellery to tea services. This will provide a backdrop for the Royal Armouries own Tiffany-decorated revolver made in 1989 as a revival of the artform (XII.9609).
To sign up for this lecture, whether in person or online, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lecture-the-firearms-of-tiffany-co-tickets-876544296587