JOSEF HOFFMANN
| About the artist | Brtnice 1870 – 1956 Vienna |
| Designed by | Josef Hoffmann, 1910 |
| Executed by | Wiener Werkstätte, model no. S 1944, 1910 |
| Marked | JH, rose mark, WIENER WERK STÄTTE (1-line), WW, Austrian hallmark - head of Diana (A for Vienna, 2 for 900/1000), 2 times A (hallmark for Vienna), master’s mark AW in circle for Adolf Wernik |
| Dimensions | H 17 cm, W 28 cm, D 26 cm |
| Material | Silver, “flower pattern” decoration, handle replaced in ebony, very good original condition |
| Provenance | Barry Friedman, Ltd, USA |
| Literature | A contemporary photograph is preserved in the Wiener Werkstätte archives at the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), Vienna, inv. no. WWF 94-116-3; Goubert Ko and Nys Wim (ed.), exhibition catalogue Wiener Werkstätte Silver and Belgian Silver Design, Antwerpen-Deurne 2010, p. 90 |
Designed as early as 1904 (with a modified pattern from 1905 onwards) the “icon” of fruit plates created by Kolo Moser as model no. S 270 served as a model for our 1910 fruit plate designed by Josef Hoffmanm. The names for the plates created by Moser were Aufsatz (centrepiece), Obstplatte (fruit tray)or Henkelplatte (tray with handles). According to the Wiener Werkstätte archives, 5 such fruit plates designed by Hoffmann were made, presented somewhat awkwardly as "Obst-Bächerei-Aufsatz" (fruit-pastry-centrepiece) Unfortunately, the original ivory handle was removed, as the export/import of works of art with ivory elements (no matter how small they may be) was prohibited by law by the US - EU authorities. That said, I can only congratulate lawmakers/politicians/pseudo-green activists on their wise decision to damage cultural property in order to protect animals that had been killed a long time ago.
M52/23
