United States, New York
Tiffany & Company (maker)
Louis Comfort Tiffany (designer)
American, 1848-1933

Tiffany is an American household name, synonymous with jewelry. Louis Comfort Tiffany, the company founder’s son, began making jewelry in 1902. This necklace is similar to those he exhibited at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

Turning to nature for his inspiration, Tiffany chose a grape theme also seen in his famous lamps and stained glass windows. The interlocking links of the chain are worked to look like gnarled vines to which realistic, paper-thin gold grape leaves are attached. The detailing of veins on both sides of each leaf further enhances the naturalism of the design. For this necklace, the overall impact of the design was more important than the use of precious stones, so Tiffany completed his entrancing creation with grape clusters made of beads of nephrite, a type of jade.

Gold and nephrite beads, about 1912
Purchased with funds given by Rita Barbour Kern, 1996.1