Josef Hoffmann

Acquired from Hirschwald department store at the time of the Wiener Werkstätte exhibition, Berlin, September 1904
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by the present owner, circa 1970

Wiener Werkstätte , Hohenzollern Kunstgewerbehaus, Hirschwald department store, Berlin, September 1904

Wilhem Michel, "Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser," Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, March 1905, p. 18 (for a period photograph of the present lot)
Daniele Baroni and Antonio d’Auria, Josef Hoffmann e la Weiner Werkstätte, Milan, 1981, p. 82 (for the above photograph)

Overall very good original condition. The piece presents with wonderful scale and architectural presence, enhanced by the variation of metal treatment, when viewed in person. With a few minor light scratches and minute abrasions consistent with age and gentle use. A minor indentation on the proper right of the top, only visible on very close inspection. The lock plate is presently detached but is being sold with the lot, which also retains its original key. The interior of the box was originally lined with velvet and presents with four small holes on the lateral sides. The interior with minor irregularities, minor discoloration and light surface dirt, that originally would have been covered by the original velvet lining. The wooden underbase reveals the original hardware and is missing one of the metal feet. This extraordinary unique work is the only example of the form, epitomizing the design aesthetic of the Wiener Werkstatte.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The work is referenced in the Photographs Archives of the Wiener Werkstätte, in the collections of the Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Vienna, photo no. 769-III, inventory no. WWF 97-3-7.

Sotheby’s would like to thank Mrs. Elisabeth Schmuttermeier (curator Wiener Werkstätte-Archiv in the MAK, Vienna) for her assistance with the cataloguing of this lot.

 The architectonic quality of this 1904 Josef Hoffmann jewelry box demonstrates attention to form, detail and classical modernism exhibited by the artisans who designed objects for the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Workshops) in fin-de-siècle Vienna. The Wiener Werkstätte was founded in part as an outgrowth of the Vienna Secession, a group of painters, sculptors and architects who first formed an organization in 1897 to unite like-minded individuals interested in exploring a new modern visual language apart from the stifling traditionalism of the academy of art.  The founding of the Wiener Werkstätte by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser in 1903 was another reaction to the academic style of decorative arts prevalent in Vienna’s traditional trade of commodity wares that relied heavily on revivalism, historical styles and a stringent focus on conservative artistic training. At first, Hoffmann’s work as an architect and designer for the Wiener Werkstätte displayed symmetries to European Art Nouveau, curvilinear forms, and floral/vegetal decorative motifs re-interpreted from Central European folk sources, as well as the work of Charles Robert Ashbee for the English Arts and Crafts movement and Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the Glasgow School of Art. 

The modern visual aesthetic of Hoffmann’s work would later incorporate rectilinear forms in the tabletop objects designed for the firm’s 1904 sales catalogue. The designer’s shift in aesthetic away from softer curvilinear forms is particularly on display in the present lot. Here, a classically inspired but distinctly modern construction is displayed by a series of raised columns supporting the rectangular jewelry box on a foundational base–as if the design is a fantasy of a palazzo in miniature, constructed for some unknown utopian city. The tiered design of the lid is accented by a pale yellow stone, in keeping with the prevalent use of semi-precious stones in Hoffmann’s silver designs.  The silver surface is punctuated by the single line of a raised dot motif bordering the foot of each column as well as the edge of the foundational base. This dotted motif was repeated in many of Hoffmann’s silver designs, showing great attention to detail and texture.  The delicate, hand-hammered decoration on the lid of the jewelry box is repeated in the lower recessed register of the box, providing dynamic contrasts in texture as well as reflective visual interest by highlighting the geometric lines of construction. The austerity of this architectonic design shows great strength of proportion and nuanced decorative textures, ultimately embodying the modern associations Hoffmann continued to develop as one of the most successful luxury architects and designers to emerge out of the modern era in Vienna.