Paulding Farnham
Collection of Orchid Brooches Designed by Paulding Farnham – Including #19, #45, #17a, #45 & #4.
In particular, Farnham’s enameled and bejeweled orchids, faithful in detail to actual specimens, were hailed as exceptional. As Gustave Stickley, leader of the Arts and Crafts movement put it, “The copying of flowers in jewelry is, of course, no new thing…but the orchids of Messrs. Tiffany are the first that we have seen, and it would be impossible to surpass them, whether for cleverness of imitation or for perfection of workmanship.”2 French critics shared his view. They were, moreover, impressed by the wide variety of colorful designs, inspired by various sources: Native American pottery, Louis XIV, XV, and XVI fashions, Japan, East-Indian jewelry and Eastern-European design.
Sterling Silver and Copper Gem-Set Bowl in a Basket Weave Style by Paulding Farnham.
Maker’s Marks and Timeline:
Farnham, Paulding
Country | |
---|---|
City | Rome |
Era | (1859 €“ 1927) |
Description
Specialties
- Fine Jewelry
- Enameled Orchids – 6 Gold Medals
1885
- Joined the Design Department at Tiffany & Co.
Sources
- Phillips, Clare. Bejewelled by Tiffany: 1837-1987. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006, 202-227.
- Loring, John. Tiffany Jewels. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999.
- Zapata, Janet. “More About Paulding Farnham, Tiffany’s Designer Extraordinaire.” Antiques, March 1, 1999.