Hello,
I'm trying to ascertain what the secondary mark on this Austrian silver dish refers to. The Diana head mark solidly places production in Austria-Hungary between 1872-1922, but the secondary pitcher mark has been a bit of a mystery. Any information, tip or pointers would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Jeff
Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
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silverport
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Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
"Pitcher" mark = Eduard Friedmann, Vienna.
Hello
Welcome to the Forum.
The "Pitcher" mark is the maker's mark of Eduard Friedmann, Silver ware factory (36 employes), in Vienna. He has got his concession in 1881 - and was ceased in 1920.
Kind regaeds silverport
Hello
Welcome to the Forum.
The "Pitcher" mark is the maker's mark of Eduard Friedmann, Silver ware factory (36 employes), in Vienna. He has got his concession in 1881 - and was ceased in 1920.
Kind regaeds silverport
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Solved! Thank you so much for the rapid reply and wonderful information. While I have the thread attention, could anyone suggest a book or reprint catalog for Eduard Friedman's works so I can track down a possible designer for this piece?
Jeff
Jeff
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Hi Jeff,
Although it has only the barest mention of Eduard Friedmann, Viennese Silver, Modern Design 1780-1918 is a book likely to be worthy of your bookshelves. I mention it only because it's one of those books where, I guess, the print run exceeded the sales and it can be picked up online for just a few pounds, but is worth far, far more.
Regards Trev.
Although it has only the barest mention of Eduard Friedmann, Viennese Silver, Modern Design 1780-1918 is a book likely to be worthy of your bookshelves. I mention it only because it's one of those books where, I guess, the print run exceeded the sales and it can be picked up online for just a few pounds, but is worth far, far more.
Regards Trev.
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Just ordered the book. Thanks for the tip!
Jeff
Jeff
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Hello, Eduard Friedmann, active 1881 until December 1919, after that under the name Ed. Friedmann Nf. (= Nachfolger, succ.) Martin Leonhard Gaspardi (who had been working for Friedmann since 1905 and who was active well into the 1920ies, possibly longer).
Friedmann took part in many exhibitions of Austrian arts and crafts. Friedmann was a silversmith, which makes it likely that this piece was really executed at his workshop.
A cautionary note: many pieces of Austrian-Hungarian silver bear the mark of a jeweller or silver/goldsmith, but were just retailed and actually made by one of the major silverware factories of the Austrian-Hungarian empire (or sometimes by a German factory) . Best wishes, Bahner
Friedmann took part in many exhibitions of Austrian arts and crafts. Friedmann was a silversmith, which makes it likely that this piece was really executed at his workshop.
A cautionary note: many pieces of Austrian-Hungarian silver bear the mark of a jeweller or silver/goldsmith, but were just retailed and actually made by one of the major silverware factories of the Austrian-Hungarian empire (or sometimes by a German factory) . Best wishes, Bahner
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Wonderful information. I'm still trying to see if I can attribute the piece to a particular designer of the period. It's my understanding that Eduard Friedmann executed design plans by such well-known Secessionist artists as Otto Prutscher and Rudolf Karger. When I saw the piece I knew that it was well made, but I had no idea that it was actually Austrian or that it may be of some design importance. The piece reminded me of a radiating Sun, and though inanimate, the rough hammer marks and undulating edge give the piece a sense of movement.
Jeff
Jeff
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silverport
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- Location: Portugal
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
A “half ready made” item; in a suggested appearance, of to be “finished” = or of neither especial design importance.
Hello Jeff
Sorry, I guess you wouldn’t find any particular designer of the period, to whom you could for sure attribute the piece.
The item, as shown in the photos, seems to me, to be made by use of brass or steel dies — be “hand wrought” only the inside oriented parts of the rim.
This kind of metal sheet folding, forming ribs, is a thousand of years’s experienced interim result of hand wrought technique. Put a "Kleenex" on yours fist - what you would see, is some thing similar what happen during the hand wrought production processing, from a basic round or square sheet of material.
In the European Baroque and Rococo period the same design principle was used in their culture of making hollowware. If you would search for pictures from items of that period, you would see the same kind of swirls.
Some times these swirls you could see only on the flanges — but the mirror is worked out as like to be a real mirror; e.g. as place for a crest.
In your case not only the fond is rough “hammered” — but the whole item.
Normally that result would be the first step, or one of the first steps, to get a result — and the rim area would be cut to an equal height and then after double rolled, or soldered below with a reinforcing rim profile; e.g. for waiters.
After the »Art Nouveau«, »Jugendstil«, or »Secession« period rose a need of styling differences — some chose a kind of »Classicism revival«, others tended more to a kind of »New Baroque«, or to other hotchpotches.
The style of “half ready made” was an answer from marketing and production technique departments, on the markets need of »novelties«. The “hammered” surfaces were their »New purity«.
You could find examples for this in the then offered products range of many European workshops and Silver ware factories.
Thus, this is almost »Factory design« - I guess, you wouldn’t find a special Artist, who had designed yours item.
Attributions often couldn’t be sounded by documents — like e.g. in publications (art journals, catalogues, exhibitions publications, journals for professionals …).
A flower on an item, in the aesthetic appearance of Johannes Joseph Vincenz Cissarz, isn’t a reason there fore to attribute the item to be »Cissarz«.
In that period it was often usual by competitors, to copy their concurrence — and change only one minimal detail. That was then most often enough difference, not to be guilty of plagiarism — then a paradise for plagiarism.
Vienna, with the former importance for the Austro-Hungary Empire had many workshops and little factories of several importances in the production of »novelties« - the little manufactory of Eduard Friedmann were one of these too.
Kind regards silverport
Hello Jeff
Sorry, I guess you wouldn’t find any particular designer of the period, to whom you could for sure attribute the piece.
The item, as shown in the photos, seems to me, to be made by use of brass or steel dies — be “hand wrought” only the inside oriented parts of the rim.
This kind of metal sheet folding, forming ribs, is a thousand of years’s experienced interim result of hand wrought technique. Put a "Kleenex" on yours fist - what you would see, is some thing similar what happen during the hand wrought production processing, from a basic round or square sheet of material.
In the European Baroque and Rococo period the same design principle was used in their culture of making hollowware. If you would search for pictures from items of that period, you would see the same kind of swirls.
Some times these swirls you could see only on the flanges — but the mirror is worked out as like to be a real mirror; e.g. as place for a crest.
In your case not only the fond is rough “hammered” — but the whole item.
Normally that result would be the first step, or one of the first steps, to get a result — and the rim area would be cut to an equal height and then after double rolled, or soldered below with a reinforcing rim profile; e.g. for waiters.
After the »Art Nouveau«, »Jugendstil«, or »Secession« period rose a need of styling differences — some chose a kind of »Classicism revival«, others tended more to a kind of »New Baroque«, or to other hotchpotches.
The style of “half ready made” was an answer from marketing and production technique departments, on the markets need of »novelties«. The “hammered” surfaces were their »New purity«.
You could find examples for this in the then offered products range of many European workshops and Silver ware factories.
Thus, this is almost »Factory design« - I guess, you wouldn’t find a special Artist, who had designed yours item.
Attributions often couldn’t be sounded by documents — like e.g. in publications (art journals, catalogues, exhibitions publications, journals for professionals …).
A flower on an item, in the aesthetic appearance of Johannes Joseph Vincenz Cissarz, isn’t a reason there fore to attribute the item to be »Cissarz«.
In that period it was often usual by competitors, to copy their concurrence — and change only one minimal detail. That was then most often enough difference, not to be guilty of plagiarism — then a paradise for plagiarism.
Vienna, with the former importance for the Austro-Hungary Empire had many workshops and little factories of several importances in the production of »novelties« - the little manufactory of Eduard Friedmann were one of these too.
Kind regards silverport
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Thanks for the information. I have no knowledge of silver production methods and my comment about hand-hammered was reserved only for the interior, which certainly was worked by some human method. I see no harm in looking for a designer, and whether or not it meets the critics eye. I'll keep the thread posted should I find out more.
(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
Cheers,
Jeff
(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )
Cheers,
Jeff
Re: Early 20th Century Austrian Secessionist Silver Piece
Oops. Sorry.
Jeff
Jeff