Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Episode: Edward C. Moore's Designs for Tiffany at the Met
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Medill Higgins Harvey, Ruth Bigelow Wriston Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Met
Date: August 5, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the life, work, and lasting impact of Edward C. Moore—a master silversmith who shaped the course of Tiffany & Co. and the American decorative arts by drawing inspiration from his eclectic, world-spanning collection. Host Alison Stewart interviews Met curator Medill Higgins Harvey about the new Metropolitan Museum exhibition, "Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany and Company," which displays Moore’s Tiffany designs alongside the diverse objects that inspired him. Together, they explore the personal history of Moore, his pivotal partnership with Tiffany, and the questions of cultural inspiration versus appropriation in his work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Edward C. Moore: Origins and Early Life

• Family Tradition: Moore was born in 1827 into a family of silversmiths—both parents’ families were involved in silversmithing, making it “in his blood and very much a part of how he would have come of age” with “a tremendous amount of time watching his father work, working in the shop.” (02:38)
• Limited Knowledge of His Interests: Little is known of Moore’s inner life—his reserved, private nature means historical evidence about his wider interests or ambitions is scarce. (03:10)
• Shaping His Field: Despite the expectations of his lineage, Moore significantly shifted the trajectory of American silversmithing “by virtue of his vision and ambition to do things differently from the way silversmiths had worked previously.” (03:17)

2. The Rise of Silver in 19th Century America

• Moore’s client base included both the affluent and a burgeoning middle class, at a time when “silver was much more ubiquitous in people’s houses than...today...A burgeoning middle class, people with more leisure time and more disposable income.” (03:54)

3. Marking and Selling: The Tiffany Partnership

• Silversmith’s Mark: Moore’s silver was typically marked with initials or a symbol, alongside the retailer’s mark (often Tiffany, Young & Ellis, the precursor to Tiffany & Co.). (04:47)
• Tiffany’s Growth: Tiffany, Young & Ellis began as a stationary and “fancy goods” store, selling elegant trinkets and expanding to become New York’s largest silver retailer. (05:37)

4. The Tiffany-Moore Exclusive and Signature Style

• Quality Over Design (Initially): The hallmark of Moore’s shop was execution: “The quality of the way the details were rendered...every aspect...was just beautifully executed. And that clearly was apparent to Charles Tiffany.” (06:39)
• Exclusive Deal: Recognizing Moore’s superiority, Tiffany struck an exclusive.
• A School for Designers: Moore founded a training program for young men at Tiffany, emphasizing “draftsmanship” and a design education built on looking at global works of art—here, his collection became central. (07:34)

5. Moore’s Collection & Its Significance

• Eclectic Diversity: Unlike his contemporaries, Moore collected a remarkable array of objects: “glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, lacquerware, basketry...from ancient Greece...to the Islamic world, East Asia, European glass.” (09:41)
• Relationship to Craft: Despite being a metalsmith, Moore was especially drawn to glass, “which for me was somewhat surprising,” says Harvey. (10:25)
• Integration at the Met: His collection (2,000+ objects, 500+ books) entered the Met, eventually distributed across six departments, reflecting shifting curatorial trends. (10:54)

6. Spotlight on Specific Pieces in the Exhibition

• Union Victory Sugar Bowl (1862–63):
  Commemorates the Union warship Monitor’s victory; presented to its engineer, Albin Stimmers. “This sugar bowl has a lot going on...It commemorates...an incredibly historic battle…” (11:53)
• Nast Vase:
  A gift to political cartoonist Thomas Nast, featuring cherub-like figures armed with writing tools, symbolizing the power of words in support of the Union.
  • “His words helped slay the dragons...of secession” (12:50)
• Glass Artifacts:
  Moore’s fascination with glass relates to its “inventive, fluid forms” and “kinds of color and pattern effects” he sought to emulate in silver. (13:56)

7. Inspiration vs. Appropriation

• Cultural Engagement: Moore collected and drew inspiration from the Islamic world, ancient Greece, Japan, and more.
  • On the line between inspiration and appropriation: “It is the reverence and fascination with which he’s approaching these works from different cultures...recognizing how much they have to teach.” (14:51)
  • Harvey concedes the topic is complex but argues Moore worked “with the utmost respect and fascination.” (15:38)

8. Japanese Influence & Technical Innovation

• Learning from Japan: Moore and his team studied Japanese techniques (like shokudo inlay) “closely,” even analyzing metal samples and experimenting to replicate effects, yielding unprecedented color and pattern in American silver. (16:25)

9. Pitcher—The Museum Acquisition

• First Museum-Piece: The first Tiffany silver acquired by any museum, a small “Pitcher” displayed at the 1870 Philadelphia World’s Fair, was “more about design and showcasing newly acquired knowledge...more than functional.” (17:53)
• Why Art?: 19th-century commentators prized novelty—“chromatically decorated silver” with new alloys and non-Western patterns “stood out...There was a great mania at these World’s Fairs to celebrate...where did American production fall relative to crafts and art from around the world.” (18:29)

10. Unusual Objects: Silver Pistols

• Male Jewelry: Tiffany’s decorated pistols were essentially “male jewelry,” rarely practical, prized for “luxury...to be showed off and admired,” and created through partnerships with weapon manufacturers. (20:17)

11. Exhibition Presentation & Lighting

• Lighting Challenges: Displaying silver is notoriously difficult; the Met’s lighting team “thinks about lighting the deck and letting the light bounce back up off the silver. Because if you light silver, it blinds the viewers.” (21:44)

12. Pandemic Delay and Curatorial Reflection

• Exhibition Delay: Originally slated to open in July 2020, the pandemic forced postponement. Most content remained unchanged, but Harvey appreciated the time to “think in somewhat different ways about what you’re going to share...So I think the shift is not sort of losing the forest for the trees and being a little more rational about what information...can live in the footnotes of a book.” (22:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Moore’s Upbringing:
  • “In his blood and very much a part of how he would have come of age watching and assisting making.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 02:38
• On Silver’s Ubiquity:
  • “In the middle of the 19th century, silver was much more ubiquitous in people’s houses than I would say it is today.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 03:54
• On Moore’s Collecting Instinct:
  • “He seemed to have a real affection for glass, which for me was somewhat surprising when you think a metalsmith might have gravitated towards work in his own medium. But he was thinking much more broadly.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 10:25
• On Appropriation vs. Inspiration:
  • “It is the reverence and fascination with which he’s approaching these works from different cultures...instead of it being a desire to demonstrate cultural hegemony or superiority, it is with the utmost respect and fascination.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 14:51
• On Exhibition Lighting:
  • “The simplest way I can summarize her artistry is that she thinks about lighting the deck and letting the light bounce back up off the silver. Because if you light silver, it blinds the viewers.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 21:44
• On Exhibition Delay Perspective:
  • “And having a little bit of distance allows you to maybe think in somewhat different ways about what you’re going to share in the form of a label and things like that.”
    — Medill Higgins Harvey, 22:38

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:22 — Introduction to Edward C. Moore and his legacy
• 03:44 — Moore’s clients and the rise of silver in households
• 04:47 — How to identify Moore’s silver and mark discussion
• 06:39 — The special qualities of Moore’s craftsmanship
• 07:34 — Moore’s design school at Tiffany
• 09:41 — Moore’s vast and varied collection
• 11:53 — The Union warship sugar bowl and Civil War context
• 12:50 — Thomas Nast vase and symbolism
• 13:56 — Moore’s fascination with glass
• 14:51 — Inspiration vs. appropriation debate
• 16:25 — Japanese influence and technical experimentation
• 17:53 — The first museum “Pitcher” and its significance
• 20:17 — Silver pistols as objects of conspicuous luxury
• 21:44 — Lighting the exhibition for silver
• 22:38 — How the pandemic delay shaped curatorial decisions

Conclusion

This episode offers a rich tour of Edward C. Moore’s role as a creative force and collector, shaping American decorative arts and Tiffany’s international reputation. Listeners gain insight not only into the stunning objects but into the complexities of cultural inspiration, innovation, and museum practice. For anyone interested in art, craft, or the cultural intersections that shape great design, the Met’s "Collecting Inspiration" is not to be missed.

Exhibition:
Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co.
On view at the Met through October 20th, 2024.