Rare Champagne Cooler from Georg Jensen
As a company, Georg Jensen has produced countless remarkable objects since it was founded in 1904 – from the silver chandelier made to order for a Swedish “Match King” in 1919 to the “Konge” (King) and “Bernadotte” chopsticks for the new Asian market. One of their great rarities – a magnificent silver champagne cooler belonging to the noble de Geer family from Sweden – is now coming up for auction.
Both Georg Jensen (1866–1935) and his company are an important part of Danish cultural heritage and have long since secured themselves a permanent place in international design history. He opened his workshop at Bredgade 36 in Copenhagen in 1904, and from day one, the works have been known for their high artistic quality, craftsmanship and an ever-innovative approach to artistic design and functionality. Georg Jensen’s workshop first saw the light of day at a time when traditional values in the trade were changing, industrialisation was raging, and traditional craftsmanship was threatened by mass production.
“It is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship and cultural history, in the form of a magnificent piece from Georg Jensens Sølvsmedie, namely the champagne cooler with a lid adorned with a polished amber knob, in place of the model’s usual berry-shaped silver knob.”
Amalie HansenSpecialist in Modern Decorative Art, Modern Silver & Design at Bruun Rasmussen
The Champagne Cooler and the de Geer Family
This is a rare silver champagne cooler with a lid and a hammered finish with engraved foliage, set on four, double cone-shaped feet. The lid is adorned with a knob of polished amber surrounded by bunches of grapes. The model itself was designed by Georg Jensen in 1915, and this particular champagne cooler with the amber knob was originally commissioned by the Swedish baron Louis de Geer af Leufsta (1866–1925) and has subsequently been passed down through the family in whose possession it has been until now. In addition to the obvious purpose of the cooler, which is quite spacious, the current owner recounts that it was also used by the family as a candy bowl for family parties.
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Unusual MaterialsIn the early years, Georg Jensen designed almost everything himself, based on the idea that it should be affordable to more people. That is why he never used gold, but rather the hard “A380 silver”, and his jewellery was often adorned with exotic and unusual semi-precious stones such as amber, agate, coral, lapis lazuli, carnelian and chrysoprase. The stones were not faceted, but cabochon cut and matte. The style was Art Nouveau, known in Denmark as “skønvirke”, the motifs of which, including flowers, leaves and berries, were taken from nature. And, the passionate businessman that he was, he was also happy to accept unusual commissions for private individuals. Georg Jensen’s technical prowess and his great attention to detail are also apparent in the champagne cooler. |
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“When you look closely at the champagne cooler, you can really see the fine craftsmanship behind it; from the cone-shaped feet and the engraved leaves to the richness of detail and finesse found on the inside of the lid, which characterise the silver hollowware produced at Georg Jensens Sølvsmedie. Because not only did the external appearance of an item of this calibre have to be in order, but the internal, functionally demanding details also had to be presentable and on a par with what was immediately visible to the eye. This last Live Auction at Bredgade is a unique opportunity to acquire a piece of museum-quality silver with a well-documented provenance and history.”
Amalie HansenSpecialist in Modern Decorative Art, Modern Silver & Design at Bruun Rasmussen
From Cake-breakers to Chopsticks
One of Georg Jensen’s trademarks – then and now – is the unpolished design, which allows the innate tones of the silver to come into their own. Where silversmiths once removed all traces of the hammer, Georg Jensen went against the grain and introduced the tradition of using controlled chasing and strokes of the hammer to add small dimples to the silver, giving the surface a more vivid expression that reflects the light to perfection. It was, however, a highly labour-intensive process. In those days, man-hours cost next to nothing, but today they often make manual production more expensive. Georg Jensen also developed a variety of utility items, several of which have now become obsolete: “Cake-breakers” are one such item, and the “long-handled dinner knife” is not used nearly as much as before. Designs such as the “Snack bowl”, on the other hand, are new.
The Timeless Designers
Although Georg Jensen was initially the driving force behind the workshop’s design, he gradually began to collaborate with other designers such as Thorvald Bindesbøll, Harald Nielsen, Sigvard Bernadotte, Henning Koppel and Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, who have continued the tradition of great craftsmanship in Georg Jensen’s name.
The rare champagne cooler will be on display at the preview from 14 September and can be acquired at the Live Auction on 21 September.
If you have any questions, please contact
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Amalie HansenAmalie HansenSpecialist |