WMF 1906 Catalogue (officially Art Nouveau Domestic Metalwork from W체rttembergische Metallwarenfabrik
This PDF would be designed for collectors, design historians, and Art Nouveau enthusiasts, offering material not available in standard public domain scans.
) is a seminal reference work for collectors of Art Nouveau and Jugendstil metalware. The original 1906 English edition was a massive undertaking, featuring 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations Books-On-Collectables Catalogue Content & Scope
The earlier 1900 and 1903 catalogues are famous for their swirling, organic "Jugendstil" forms��봣lowers morphing into handles, vines creeping up goblets. By 1906, this organic chaos was being tamed. The designs in the 1906 catalogue show a "mature" Art Nouveau. The lines are still curved and natural, but they are more structured, hinting at the geometry to come.
The catalogue outlines WMF's patented electroplating techniques. The standard mark "I/O" indicated a normal thickness of silver plating, while "as" denoted an artificially blackened or antique silver finish ( altversilbert ). wmf catalogue 1906 pdf exclusive
Chemical treatments that gave pieces an antique, dramatic look. What Inside the 1906 WMF Catalogue?
Art Nouveau, which emerged in the 1890s, was a design movement characterized by its use of sinuous, organic lines, flowing curves, and biomorphic forms. The movement influenced various art forms, including architecture, decorative arts, and visual arts. Art Nouveau designers sought to break free from traditional and historical styles, embracing a more modern and innovative approach.
"The Gilded Pattern"
By 1906, WMF was the largest producer of household silverware in the world. Their catalogue wasn't just a brochure; it was a bible of interior design, dictating the aesthetics of dining rooms from London to New York. By 1906, this organic chaos was being tamed
Recognizing the immense demand, a stunning, faithful facsimile was eventually created. This reprint has made the catalogue accessible once more and, in many ways, has exceeded the quality of the original. For the very first time, the 389-page book was printed , bringing the beautiful Jugendstil designs to life in a way that the original black-and-white prints could not.
Madame Lemaire received it on a stormless night, her salon lit by lone candles. She ran a hand along its rim as if recognizing a voice. At the base she revealed a coin-sized locket, fastened with a hairpin��봧nside, a curl of hair and a tiny pressed program from an 1898 performance: the conductor's handwriting curled across the page. "It is as you engraved it," she told Keller, who had accompanied the epergne at her insistence. "But there is a wrong note��봪isten."
Are you trying to of antique metalwork?
Information on how to distinguish pieces The market value of specific 1906 designs Catalog WMF 1906 | PDF - Scribd "It is as you engraved it
A pewter alloy acquired by WMF in 1905, celebrated for its brilliant, silver-like luster and plastic formability.
Having the complete catalogue on a tablet or smartphone allows dealers and pickers to instantly cross-reference items in the field at antique fairs, flea markets, or estate sales. Deciphering the Catalogue: Marks and Materials
For decades, the original bound edition of the 1906 catalogue was a rare gem found only in specialized libraries or the private archives of elite auction houses. Its exclusivity created a barrier to entry for new collectors.
