the leaves were plain green? No mottling ? Was it early, like April?

It looks like a Red Impression Tulip. Tulips bloom and then they die back. Between the time it blooms and it dies it stores energy in the bulb for the next year. If it doesn't store up much, it has less chance to bloom and bloom beautifully. One problem I have is that after the tulips I have other plants that grow and bloom. The bulbs don't like the water I use all summer and they degrade and many of mine have bloomed a few years and then didn't come back.

@Marie Tulin Boston burbs z 6a Yep plain green. The above photos were taken April 28, zone 6a.

It looks like Red Impression has a pure black base with a yellow ring.

I had the same experience, that is an ephemeral planting of a cherry red tulip with an unusual blue petal base that I couldn't find replacement bulbs of soon afterward. It was said to be a sport of a black centered variety, actually got its own promotional campaign. With the blue coloring being the particular point of this introduction maybe if you search the web using phrases like "tulip blue center" you'll find something relevant. Otherwise it will probably be a matter of looking at university libraries that are storing large assortments of nursery catalogs from past years in order to encounter mention of it. Here on the Pacific Coast it is necessary to go to California to find such.

@Embothrium oh wow thanks for the detailed information. Sounds similar to my experience...wish I would have been more diligent about writing down names back then. That's too bad that the tulip didn't last in the market, it was one of my favorites. If anyone else has the name, please do share it.

Probably because I did some editing of my post before settling on the version I see on my machine now.

I managed to track it down, it was called “Blue Base”, Brent and Becky’s had it over a decade ago. Becky said “...the grower who was growing it for us didn't think it grew well enough so we were told he either threw it away or put all of them in a mix.” Too bad, but mystery solved!

This picture looks similar to yours:

https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/159134/

I am pretty sure material I bought was promoted and supplied by this company:

https://www.vanbloem.com/