The items newlyweds select while furnishing their first home often hold special significance. Few acquisitions, however, have had as lasting an impact as the one made by the Neustadt couple in 1935.
While browsing a Manhattan secondhand shop, Hildegard Steininger Neustadt came across a lamp her husband, Egon Neustadt—an orthodontist—would later describe poetically as a “strange, old-fashioned lamp.”
Composed of hundreds of uniquely shaped glass pieces in vibrant greens and yellows, the lamp depicted a springtime scene reminiscent of daffodils signaling the end of winter — a symbol of renewal and hope.
As recounted in Neustadt’s memoirs, the couple asked the shopkeeper about the lamp and learned it was created by American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany. Although unfamiliar with the name at the time, they paid $12.50—equivalent to roughly $290 today—and brought home the Tiffany “Daffodil” lampshade, which Neustadt placed on his desk.
What was once an obscure find for the Neustadts has since become an iconic example of Tiffany’s artistry, cherished by collectors and displayed in venues throughout New York. Among these is the forthcoming TEFAF New York art fair, scheduled for May 9-13 at the Park Avenue Armory.
Over the years, research has highlighted the crucial role of women in Tiffany’s success, while admirers who have encountered these lamps in museums and galleries have brought them into their living spaces. Even younger audiences have embraced Tiffany’s distinctive style, with some opting for tattoos inspired by the lamps’ intricate designs.
