New York’s Tiffany Studios ‘Scarab’ Table Lamp

Created in 1898, this scarab lamp is an early, exquisite example of Tiffany’s craftsmanship. The lamp’s oval eyes shimmer with light, while iridescent gold glass wings—crackled for texture—spread apart to reveal a yellow-green glass abdomen, adorned with intricate cross-hatched metal filigree. Unlike Tiffany’s later spherical shades, which lift off for light bulb installation, this lamp features a hinged cover inspired by the fractal patterns of a sunflower.The scarab and sunflower elements together evoke a modern interpretation of the Egyptian winged scarab, often depicted with a solar disk above its head. This design references the myth of Khepri, the scarab god, whose rolling of dung balls symbolized the sun’s daily journey across the sky. The lamp’s base, crafted from spiraled wire, recalls the design of ancient Egyptian baskets traditionally used to hold cobras during snake charming. In ancient Egypt, snake charming was a common practice performed by educated men who served as healers and magicians.