Tiffany & Co. and Edward C. Moore "Hops" Silver Loving Cup

This superb loving cup by Edward C. Moore is richly embellished with applied cast-gold blossoms set against a finely stamped ground of vines and leaves depicting Japanese hops. The form takes its name from the traditional “loving cup,” designed to be passed among participants at communal “love feasts” held by early Christian congregations, often following church services. The hop ornamentation further suggests the vessel’s use as a container of beer or ale. The composition is enlivened by an exquisitely modeled bell cricket (suzumushi) in contrasting red copper, its naturalism heightened through delicate chasing. The cup is further distinguished by a “CL” monogram for Charles Lewis Tiffany, executed in copper and enriched with a niello patina—a sulfur-based inlay technique that produces a deep, velvety black within engraved lines—introducing a striking visual contrast characteristic of Moore’s Japonisme aesthetic. As with many of these sterling silver works, the surface was hand-hammered by highly skilled immigrant artisans, many from Germany’s Hanau region, whose craftsmanship was essential to Tiffany’s production.
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Category: Metalwork New Acquisitions TEFAF 2026 Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Objects
Product Details

Item #: T-22314
Artist: Tiffany & Co.
Country: United States
Circa: 1878
Dimensions: 7.5" height, 9" width, 6" depth.
Materials: Sterling Silver & Other Mixed Metals
Signed: stamped 'TIFFANY & CO. MAKERS STERLING-SILVER AND OTHER-METALS'; numbered 6819 and 1256, monogrammed 'CL' in patinated copper
Provenance: Private Collection, Chicago; 'Important Americana', Sotheby's, New York, 2003, lot 439; Modern Decorative Art + Design, Bonhams, New York, December 17 2025, Lot 7.
 

Item #: T-22314
Artist: Tiffany & Co.
Country: United States
Circa: 1878
Dimensions: 7.5" height, 9" width, 6" depth.
Materials: Sterling Silver & Other Mixed Metals
Signed: stamped 'TIFFANY & CO. MAKERS STERLING-SILVER AND OTHER-METALS'; numbered 6819 and 1256, monogrammed 'CL' in patinated copper
Provenance: Private Collection, Chicago; 'Important Americana', Sotheby's, New York, 2003, lot 439; Modern Decorative Art + Design, Bonhams, New York, December 17 2025, Lot 7.
 

Curator's Notes
Edward C. Moore first presented silverwork for Tiffany & Co. at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, marking his debut on the international stage. This event also introduced Japanese arts and crafts to France through the Meiji government’s exhibition of lacquerware, ceramics, woodblock prints, arms, armor, and textiles. Inspired by these works, Moore began incorporating Japanese techniques and motifs into his creations. By the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle, Moore’s Japonisme had reached its peak.
Edward C. Moore first presented silverwork for Tiffany & Co. at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, marking his debut on the international stage. This event also introduced Japanese arts and crafts to France through the Meiji government’s exhibition of lacquerware, ceramics, woodblock prints, arms, armor, and textiles. Inspired by these works, Moore began incorporating Japanese techniques and motifs into his creations. By the 1878 Paris Exposition Universelle, Moore’s Japonisme had reached its peak.
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