Tiffany Studios Gilt-Bronze Desk Set, ca. 1910
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GUEST:
This is a Tiffany's desk set. My mother bought it at a garage sale about 30, 35 years ago. And I really just wanted to bring it and see what you thought about it.
APPRAISER:
And tell me, back then when your mother purchased this, do you remember what she paid for it?
GUEST:
No, she didn't say, but I would doubt it was over ten dollars.
APPRAISER:
Well, you're correct: this is a Tiffany Studios American Indian pattern bronze desk set, and the pieces we have here on the table with us are, from my side to yours, the match holder, the inkwell, the blotter ends and the calendar holder, and out of these pieces, we have a great variety from the larger desk set, but there are other pieces that are available out there.
GUEST:
All right.
APPRAISER:
Tiffany Studios was active a very long time, but these pieces are marked "Tiffany Studios," and that indicates to us that the date range is between 1902 and 1919. I want to just talk a little bit more about what Louis Comfort Tiffany was doing at Tiffany Studios when he was making these desk sets. His items were very popular with the American public, and he wanted to give them things to decorate their homes and offices with, so he did very many different patterns and he did many pieces so you could buy as small of a desk set or as large of a desk set as you wanted. Right here, we have four pieces, and I'm saying four as I count the blotter ends as one piece. But basically, you've got some really great pieces here that are sought after by collectors today. I'm really glad you brought them in. So starting over here with the match holder, that would retail around $150.
GUEST:
All right.
APPRAISER:
Then with the inkwell here, I think you're looking more at a price around $450, even $500.
GUEST:
All right.
APPRAISER:
Blotter ends about the same, $450. And the calendar holder closest to you many people today are using as a picture frame, and you can see that selling for anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500. So if you look at that aggregately, I would give you an insurance estimate of $2,000 to $2,500.
GUEST:
Wow, that's great. I'm surprised.
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