Blue Crown pottery mark above Initials TC or JC on white ceramic rhino - is this Tiffany?

by Richard
(California)

Blue Crown pottery mark above Initials TC or JC on white ceramic rhino - is this Tiffany?:- The item in question is a white porcelain rhinoceros that is around 14 inches long. It bears a blue crown mark with either the initials TC or JC and a number that is either 7965 or 1965. The original owner stated they purchased it from Tiffany & Co. in 1962 and suspect that the initials are TC and that the item was made for them.

It is in the style of the rhinoceroses produced to commemorate the arrival of "Clara" in the mid 1700's to Europe. I have seen a marble version carved in 1764 that looks exceptionally close to this piece.

Richard

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Comment by The Forum Help Elf (admin)

To:- Blue Crown pottery mark above Initials TC or JC on white ceramic rhino - is this Tiffany?

OK! This is a very interesting area very little written about online (just up our street). So a big thanks for this submission, Richard.

Also, nearly forgot to say a lovely piece and great research by you already. It is plain as day this is an uber-high quality piece. So it would fit the Tiffany mold.

We want to have this thread develop into some juicy information, so, please read and post if you are even the slightest bit interested in Tiffany porcelain (or rhinos! LOL)

Here's my starter....

I have searched my books and also online, but am finding it difficult to uncover any information at all on Tiffany & Co ceramic art or the accompanying pottery and porcelain marks.

One of the reasons is that there is so much information out there on the obvious Tiffany lines - that of silver, jewelry, art glass and lamps and the rest of the Art Nouveau paraphernalia, that it is hard to find references to their art-porcelain.

Also I am guessing their porcelain and china produce was a relatively small operation, so not too much of it was own branded, unlike the silver, jewelry, art glass and lamps etc (that is just a guess as I don't really know).

I do know they commissioned art-china and porcelain items from leading china makers in the 19th century - for example, below is a photo of the mark of a vase made for them by Royal Crown Derby of England (date 1889). It has a joint lable.

Photo courtesy of www.antique-hunter.com/Derby_Crown.html

So, a call-out to all those Tiffany buffs and collectors out there......

HELP!

Please post below....

Thanks

H.E.

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