Poppy Inkwell (c. 1898–1906): Art, History and Details

Poppy Inkwell (c. 1898–1906) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Clara Wolcott Driscoll (American, 1861–1944); Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company (America, New York, 1892–1902); Tiffany Studios (United States, New York, 1902–32).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

By 1900 Louis Comfort Tiffany had expanded his empire by increasing the firm’s production of “fancy goods,” including inkstands, candlesticks, clocks, small boxes, desk sets, tea screens, and other functional objects. Along with the array of artistic glass designs from his factory in Corona, Queens, works in ceramic, bronze, other metals, and even jewelry abounded. These smaller, more affordable luxury items were designed with as much thought to artistry as the great stained glass windows and lamps through which the firm enjoyed unrivaled success.

Object facts

• Title: Poppy Inkwell
• Date: c. 1898–1906
• Creator attribution: Clara Wolcott Driscoll (American, 1861–1944); Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company (America, New York, 1892–1902); Tiffany Studios (United States, New York, 1902–32)
• Culture: America, New York
• Type: Glass
• Technique: favrile glass mosaic, bronze
• Dimensions: Overall: 8 x 10.5 cm (3 1/8 x 4 1/8 in.)
• Collection: Decorative Arts
• Department: Decorative Art and Design
• Accession number: 2018.289

A detail from the museum

More than a thousand tiny pieces of glass form the mosaic design of this inkwell.

Collection credit

Bequest of Charles Maurer

Further reading listed by the museum

• Bifano, Wayne Thomas, and Timothy Lachina. The Wade Chapel: A Story of Art, Spirit, and Family. Cleveland, Ohio: Lake View Cemetery Association, 2019.
• "Cleveland Arts Prize Celebrates Greatness in the Garden." CAN Journal (Summer 2021): 44-45.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.