MerkAmerican
Tiffany & Co.
14 actieve items
Tiffany & Co. began in 1837 when Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young opened a stationery and fancy goods shop on Broadway in New York City. Their first day brought in just $4.98 in sales. Within a few years the store had expanded into glassware, porcelain, cutlery, clocks, and jewelry. By 1853 Tiffany had taken full control, reorganizing under the name Tiffany and Company with a clear focus on fine jewelry and silverware. He opened branches in Paris in 1850 and London in 1868, building an international reputation that earned him the title "King of Diamonds" in the American press.
Several design innovations established Tiffany as a standard-setter in the jewelry trade. In 1845 the company published its first Blue Book catalog, considered the earliest direct-mail jewelry catalog in the United States. The six-prong Tiffany Setting for diamond engagement rings, introduced in 1886, lifted the stone above the band to maximize light and brilliance. It became one of the most widely copied ring designs in history. The robin's-egg blue of the Tiffany box, adopted in the mid-19th century, grew into a globally recognized symbol of luxury gifting.
The 20th century brought a succession of designers who each reshaped the house's identity. Jean Schlumberger joined in 1956, creating opulent, nature-inspired pieces with generous use of colored gemstones. His Bird on a Rock brooches, famously worn by Jacqueline Kennedy, brought a playful extravagance to the collection. Elsa Peretti arrived in 1974 and introduced a contrasting sensibility, organic, sculptural forms in silver and gold. Her Diamonds by the Yard, Open Heart, and Bone Cuff designs made Tiffany jewelry accessible to a broader audience while remaining unmistakably modern. Paloma Picasso, daughter of Pablo Picasso, launched her first Tiffany collection in 1980, bringing bold geometry, vivid color, and graffiti-inspired shapes to the range.
Charles Lewis Tiffany's son, Louis Comfort Tiffany, became one of the most important figures in American decorative arts, though his work in stained glass and lamps operated somewhat independently from the jewelry house. In January 2021, LVMH completed its acquisition of Tiffany & Co. for $15.8 billion, bringing the house into the world's largest luxury conglomerate.
On Nordic auction platforms, Tiffany & Co. has appeared in 109 total lots, with the majority falling into jewelry categories: Necklaces and Pendants (32), Jewelry and Watches (29), Rings (21), Bracelets (13), and Earrings (11). Bruun Rasmussen Lyngby leads with 24 lots, followed by Göteborgs Auktionsverk (14) and Palsgaard Kunstauktioner (12). Top results include a 14-karat gold cigarette case from the 1950s at 115,000 SEK, a "Bubbles" platinum bracelet with diamonds at 70,000 SEK, and platinum diamond earrings at 52,000 SEK.