Rare Tiffany lamp owned by global music legend to sell for £30k at Glasgow auction
The antique bears the distinctive mark of the iconic jeweller
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UP FOR GRABS Rare Tiffany lamp owned by global music legend to sell for £30k at Glasgow auction
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AN antique decorative lamp once owned by Sir Elton John is set to be auctioned.
The colourful Tiffany piece will go under the hammer at McTear's in Glasgow next month.
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A Tiffany lamp once owned by Sir Elton John is set to be auctioned
Credit: Mc Tear's;
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The lighting piece is expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000
Credit: Mc Tear's;
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The lamp was auctioned as part of a historic Sotheby's sale of the music icon's possessions in 1988
Credit: AFP
Dating from 1899 to 1920, the lamp was part of the legendary Sotheby's sale in 1988, which saw around 2,000 of the iconic musician's personal items auctioned after an exhibit at London's V&A Museum.
Bearing the prestigious mark of Tiffany Studios New York, the 'Poinsettia' lamp boasts a kaleidoscope of leaded glass in pinks, blues, greens and milky white.
Its rare spherical bronze base, adorned with overlapping leaves, offers a striking departure from the more familiar column design.
The current owner's family acquired the lamp at the landmark Sotheby's auction.
And it has remained a treasured centrepiece in their home ever since.
The lamp is expected to be sold for between £20,000 and £30,000 at McTear's Auctioneers' design auction on May 7.
Other items in the 1988 Sotheby's sale included spectacles, flamboyant boots and a pinball machine from the rock opera, Tommy.
A copy of the original sale catalogue will accompany the Tiffany lamp in the McTear's auction.
McTear's director, Magda Ketterer, said: "The lamp is an extraordinary piece of decorative art, but its connection to one of the world's most celebrated performers gives it a rare cultural cachet.
"Whether you're a collector, a design enthusiast, or an Elton John fan, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity."
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McTear's 19th and 20th century design auction will also feature exceptional pieces from the Glasgow Arts & Crafts, Secessionist, Aesthetic, Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements.
For more details and to view the full auction catalogue here.
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