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This one-of-a-kind Tiffany ‘Aztec’ presentation dagger designed by G. Paulding Farnham sold to a museum for $105,000. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

Unique Tiffany ‘Aztec’ dagger hits $105,000 at Clars

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf

This one-of-a-kind Tiffany ‘Aztec’ presentation dagger designed by G. Paulding Farnham sold to a museum for $105,000. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

This one-of-a-kind Tiffany ‘Aztec’ presentation dagger designed by G. Paulding Farnham sold to a museum for $105,000. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Clars Auction Gallery offered a rare, one-of-a-kind Tiffany “Aztec” presentation dagger designed in the early 1900s by G. Paulding Farnham, as part of their Feb. 19 Antiques and Fine Art Auction. This unique treasure sold for $105,000 inclusive of the 16.5 percent buyer’s premium.

LiveAuctioneers.com facilitated Internet live bidding.

International presale interest by both investment level collectors and museums confirmed both the importance and rarity of the Aztec dagger. Conservatively estimated to sell for $10,000 to $20,000 and without reserve, president of Clars, Redge Martin, opened the bidding at $5,000. High-level collectors present both on the floor, phones and Internet, quickly drove the price well past the high estimate soaring to $90,000 where Martin dropped the hammer ($105,000 with buyers premium) on this exquisite representation of the finest in American design.

Clars specialist, Deric Torres, who handled this piece for the sale, announced the rare Tiffany dagger was purchased by an institution for their permanent collection.

“The beauty of this work is testament to his [Farnham’s] creative genius. We were so happy that, even in this economy, the art market reacted with the strength they did,” said Torres.

Designed by G. Paulding Farnham in the early 1900s, this powerful piece was executed in sterling, ivory and faceted obsidian. Farnham’s use of obsidian was in direct homage to the Aztec culture where they used obsidian to create the sharpest daggers possible, even sharper than diamonds.

Farnham was Tiffany’s chief jewelry designer from 1891 to 1908 and is regarded as the most eminent jewelry designer Tiffany ever employed. His works are scarce and highly sought after worldwide. Inspired and trained by his predecessor Edward C. Moore, Farnham became an unequaled colorist in design and his creations reflected international sources including Asian, Egyptian, Russian, Celtic and Native American. Charged with creating significant presentation pieces for Tiffany to be judged at world expositions, Farnham’s work received a gold medal for jewelry at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889, the grand prize for his Native American-style silverware at the Paris Exposition of 1900, and a gold medal for silverware at the Pan-American Exposition for his jeweled and enameled “Viking” and “Saracenic” silver.

Clars is no stranger to selling important Tiffany works. In November 2010 they offered a rare carved jade, diamond and color gemstone scent bottle executed by Tiffany & Co. in 1893, which sold for $236,950.

For details on this rare Tiffany “Aztec” presentation dagger and Clars’ Antiques and Fine Art sale on Feb. 18 and 19, call 510-428-0100, email: info@clars.com or visit their website at www.clars.com

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

This one-of-a-kind Tiffany ‘Aztec’ presentation dagger designed by G. Paulding Farnham sold to a museum for $105,000. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.

This one-of-a-kind Tiffany ‘Aztec’ presentation dagger designed by G. Paulding Farnham sold to a museum for $105,000. Image courtesy Clars Auction Gallery.