Maker and style of teapot?

PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
Post Reply
SilverK
contributor
Posts: 224
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:46 pm

Maker and style of teapot?

Post by SilverK »

Hi,

I recently acquired this German teapot because I felt it was very stylish, perhaps a trickle-down Vienna werkstatte design. I would greatly appreciate the forum's opinion on its design roots. The maker's mark is quite distinctive, a three-footed chalice. Can anyone identify the maker? For once I have managed to get a fairly good image of quite a small mark!

Many thanks,

Silverk.

Image

Image
dognose
Site Admin
Posts: 59003
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 12:53 pm
Location: England

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by dognose »

Hi Silverk,

See Koch & Bergfeld at: https://www.925-1000.com/Fgerman_marks_a1884_5.html

Trev.
SilverK
contributor
Posts: 224
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:46 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by SilverK »

Hi Trev,

Embarrassing. I can't believe I missed that! Thanks!

Hopefully someone can help me out on the style.

Best regards,

Silverk.
legrandmogol
contributor
Posts: 550
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:22 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by legrandmogol »

The style appears to be Art Deco or Bauhaus style, given the non-ivory insulators it would also fit the period
Aguest
contributor
Posts: 1612
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 1:26 am

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by Aguest »

I find some similarities to the "Secessionist" Art Movement in Germany and Austria ::: A quick search for "Secessionist Teapot" will show examples which are similar, but I would tend to agree that this teapot is moving into more of an Art Deco/Bauhaus period, but the Secessionist influence seems to be clear, the bold geometric form with sharp angles :::: Secessionist Art seems to be more 1900-1920 while Art Deco/Bauhaus seems to be more 1920-1940 ::: Perhaps finding a firm date might help, but I get the impression that this teapot falls right on the border, say 1920-1925, when Secessionist Art was transitioning into Art Deco/Bauhaus, this is just a guess at this point :::::
legrandmogol
contributor
Posts: 550
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:22 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by legrandmogol »

The Austrian Secessionist school and style definitely evolved over time but it is generally used to describe Austrian Art Nouveau pieces, German art nouveau is generally referred to as Jugendstil. Of course, these styles are more than just a location and have noticeable stylistic differences as well but the angular design of this pot would disqualify it as either of these styles. The piece here is mostly in the style of Christopher Dresser upon further inspection. I think it is probably younger than the 1920s though based on those grey plastic looking insulators (I'm leaning 1950's). But if you really wanted to get a good idea of when the pot was made you could contact Koch & Bergfeld as they are still in business and may have records of the piece.
SilverK
contributor
Posts: 224
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:46 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by SilverK »

Thanks all for your interesting thoughts so far. The Koch & Bergfeld website shows the various marks they used from 1840 until now and appears to show the chalice period from 1884 until 1980, but this doesn't really help too much on narrowing down the dates! So, I've followed legrandmogol's suggestion and contacted Koch & Bergfeld. We'll see if they respond at all.

In the meantime, any further thoughts would still be useful and very interesting.

Many thanks,

Silverk.
silverfan
contributor
Posts: 686
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 4:29 pm
Location: munich

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by silverfan »

The manufacturing number 17500 says that the item was first produced in 1890.
Regards silverfan
SilverK
contributor
Posts: 224
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:46 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by SilverK »

As suggested, I contacted Koch & Bergfeld. They kindly responded as follows:

"the number 17500 tells us that the design of your teapot is from the year 1890.
The teapot has been manufactured up to the 1930´s but unfortunately it is impossible to tell when this particular one has been made.
Concerning the design, we assume an English direction, maybe Christopher Dresser who is known for a very similar design…"


This information from the manufacturer concurs with the expertise of this forum! With the non-ivory insulators, it would seem to me that its actual date of manufacture probably sits closer to 1930 than 1890, as has already been said, but given K&B's comments, not as late as the 1950s.

As for the type of insulator, the obvious candidate would be coloured bakelite (which was patented in 1909), since most of the other plastics that I'm aware of that were developed by then would be too soft (PVC, celluloid, polyethelene). Even polystyrene in its solid form, which was available in the early 1930's, melts at just above 100 °C and so may have been considered too close for comfort for a vessel holding boiling water. Also I would expect some degradation of polystyrene over time, but the insulators have not degraded.

Anyway, unless someone is able to add anything else, I feel I have the answers I was looking for.

Many thanks to all the contributors,

Silverk.
silverfan
contributor
Posts: 686
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 4:29 pm
Location: munich

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by silverfan »

@silverK
Important for your question is - I think - Koch & Bergfeld and 1890. The material of the insulators is completely unimportant, because that changed in the course of time and has no relevance for the style.
Regards silverfan
SilverK
contributor
Posts: 224
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:46 pm

Re: Maker and style of teapot?

Post by SilverK »

Hi silverfan,

I agree it's not relevant for the style, but it gives an idea of the date of manufacture which I personally think is of interest as well.

Regards,

silverk.
Post Reply

Return to “German Silver”