A late 19th-century Tiffany window, preserved for 125 years in a Connecticut church, could reach 2 million dollars at auction by Christie’s.
Why does the Winsted glass attract so much attention?
The two-lancet panel, placed above the balcony of the Second Congregational Church in Winsted, depicts an ideal landscape at sunset. In the foreground, a waterfall rendered with striated glass creates foam and reflections. Palms and a dark sky complete the scene.
The right lancet, against a backdrop of purple mountains, hosts a group of lilies and irises. At the top, a medallion with a crown of hand-cut jewels completes the composition. The work was commissioned by Ellen Wright Boyd in memory of her parents, John and Emily Boyd, and installed in 1899.
Who commissioned the work and for what reason?
John Boyd, former Secretary of State of Connecticut, made his fortune as a steel industrialist. Christie’s specified that the proceeds from the sale will support the church’s mission and ministries. Victoria Tudor, head of design at the auction house, described the glass as an exceptional example of the studio’s technical expertise.
Tudor also highlighted the emotional depth and control of color and light. Additionally, she noted that windows with a waterfall in the foreground are very rare in the work of Tiffany Studios. For this reason, the piece is considered one of the strongest lots in the design sale.
What market is forming around Tiffany masterpieces?
The appearance of the panel at Christie’s confirms a stable trend: early 20th-century Tiffany masterpieces are regularly finding new owners. In 2023, the Metropolitan Museum of Art led the movement with the private acquisition of the tripartite Garden Landscape (1912).
However, the following year the Danner Memorial Window (1913) set a record at 12.4 million dollars at Sotheby’s for Tiffany Studios. In 2025, the Goddard Memorial Window (1910) was sold by Christie’s for 4.2 million dollars.
In parallel, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art acquired Mountain Landscape from a church in San Antonio, Texas, and recently installed it. Compared to these cases, the Winsted panel retains a strong connection to its place of origin.
What is the historical value of the Winsted window?
The Tiffany window of Winsted is one of three decorative elements by Tiffany Studios in the Second Congregational Church. It was restored in the 1990s when the lead showed signs of corrosion.
That said, the other two elements present in the building strengthen the church’s historical profile. There is the Christ With Child stained glass, inspired by a description from the Gospel of Matthew, and a Tiffany mosaic dedicated to a deacon who served for two decades in the late 19th century.
Overall, the sale by Christie’s combines conservation, family memory, and market. The case of Winsted shows how the great Tiffany windows remain central among collectors, museums, and religious institutions.
For further context: Christie’s, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sotheby’s.
Image: Tiffany Studios’ “The Boyd Family Memorial Window (The Falls)” (1898). Photo: courtesy Sotheby’s.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
