Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry (Exhibition)

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Exist Dates

1988 March 30 - 1988 June 5

Biographical or Historical Note

abstract
Exhibition. Opened March 30, 1988 and closed June 5, 1988. Located in Section 4, Floor 1 in Gallery 1 at the American Museum of Natural History. Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry, curated by Janet Zapata, Peter Schneirla, and George Harlow and organized by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, demonstrated the evolution of Tiffany's jewelry design in the United States, and Tiffany's role as designer, manufacturer, and purveyor of jewelry. The exhibit focused on the shared history of Tiffany and the American Museum of Natural History through the work of gemologist George F. Kunz.

Summary

Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry, curated by art historian and Tiffany archivist Janet Zapata, Tiffany Group vice president and senior gemologist Peter Schneirla, and curator in the Museum's Department of Mineral Sciences George Harlow and organized by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, demonstrated the evolution of Tiffany's jewelry design in the United States and its role as designer, manufacturer, and purveyor of jewelry. The exhibition focused on the shared history of Tiffany and the American Museum of Natural History through the work of gemologist George F. Kunz, honorary curator at the Museum and vice president at Tiffany. Museum trustee J.P. Morgan purchased two major collections assembled by Tiffany and George F. Kunz and donated them to the Museum. The exhibition was funded by both the Museum and Tiffany & Co. and was installed by the Museum's Department of Exhibition and Graphics (1, p. 1-3; 3, p. 60).

The exhibition focused on three main categories: American gemstones, artistic achievement, and wearable jewelry. Highlights from the exhibition included (1, p. 1-3; 2, p.1):

*The Tiffany Diamond, acquired by George Kunz

*A 10.2 carat blue sapphire from Yogo Gulch, MT

*Fire opals from Mexico

*A ring with a 13-carat emerald from North Carolina

*A chrysanthemum corsage brooch with petals of freshwater pearls from the Mississippi River

*Representative pieces of French Crown Jewels

*An enamel and diamond watch owned by Harry Houdini

*The Lincoln Pearl Necklace and bracelets owned by Mary Todd Lincoln

*Jan Hooker's Emerald, a 75-carat emerald brooch set with diamonds, once part of a belt buckle belonging to the Sultan of Turkey

*Botanically correct enameled orchids

This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.

Sources

    (1) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "'Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry' to Open at the American Museum March 30." February 8, 1988. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.
    (2) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "'Fact Sheet: Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry'." March 16, 1988. Vertical Files. American Museum of Natural History Library.
    (3) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1987-1988.

Terms

localDescription
temporary exhibition
localDescription
enhanced
place
New YorkExternal link
AMNH: Section 4, Floor 1

Related Corporate, Personal, and Family Names

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Exhibition.
Installed exhibition (3, p. 60)
American Museum of Natural History. Department of Mineral Sciences.
Related department
American Museum of Natural History. Gallery 1.
Location of exhibition 1988 March 30 – 1988 June 5 (1)
Field Museum of Natural HistoryExternal link
Institutional partner organized exhibition (1)
Harlow, George E.
Curator of exhibition; curator in the Museum's Department of Mineral Sciences (1)
Kunz, George Frederick 1856-1932
Gemologist for Tiffany & Co. and American Museum of Natural History who assembled Museum collections featured in exhibition (1)
Morgan, J. Pierpont (John Pierpont) 1837-1913
Purchased collections assembled by Tiffany and George Kunz for Museum that were featured in exhibition (1)
Schneirla, PeterExternal link
Curator of exhibition; Tiffany Group vice president and senior gemologist (1)
Tiffany and CompanyExternal link
Institutional partner; featured (1)
Zapata, JanetExternal link
Curator of exhibition; art historian and Tiffany archivist (1)

Related Resources

American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1987-1988: 5, 39, 60, 71, 75-76, 78.
American Museum of Natural History annual reports, 1902-2001.
"Annual Report Department of Mineral Sciences 1987-1988.": 15 [1988].
American Museum of Natural History photographic drawers
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Black and white and color contact sheets of exhibition on view]
American Museum of Natural History press releases, 1933-1990s.
"'Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry' to Open at the American Museum March 30." February 8, 1988; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, April 1988." February 19, 1988; "'Fact Sheet: Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry'." March 16, 1988; "Museum Programs & Exhibitions, June 1988." April 14, 1988.
[American Museum of Natural History rigid posters] [poster]
Date of resource: 1969?-2008
American Museum of Natural History vertical files
Repository: AMNH Special Collections [Press folder, color transparencies, black and white photo prints with captions, black and white negative, copies of Grapevine pages, AMNH and Tiffany & Co. press releases, correspondence]
Grapevine
"'Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry' Opens in March" (January/February 1988); "'Tiffany' Here Through June 5." Grapevine (March/April 1988)
Tiffany, 150 years of gems and jewelry / by Peter Schneirla and Penny Proddow.
Date of resource: 1987
subjectOf
Tiffany, 150 years of gems and jewelry : the American Museum of Natural History, New York, March 30 to June 5, 1988 / organized by George E. Harlow, Peter Schneirla, Janet Zapata.
Date of resource: 1988

Written by: Clare O'Dowd
Last modified: 2018 October 12


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