posted 01-13-2005 01:52 AM            

The pieces in this post are all by Theodor Fahrner. Notice the "face" motif in the Gradl pins (which is a motif prevalent in a lot of Jugendstil jewelry, not just Fahrner).

A Max Gradl brooch with green stones (probably chrysoprase):

A Max Gradl brooch with lapis:

A hammered enamel convex brooch by Hermann Haussler:

A small geometric triangles brooch with chrysoprase and pearl drops (possibly by Franz Boeres):

A very modernistic styled geometric necklace with turquoises (possibly by C.F. Morawe or Julius Muller-Salem):

posted 01-14-2005 12:29 AM            

A heavy gold washed 800 silver pin with chrysoprase by A Odenwald (Pforzheim) - any info on this maker would be appreciated. Stylistically it resembles Georg Kleeman:

A large 830 silver pin with a natural swirled brown stone cabochon mounted on a cross shaped ivory piece surrounded by 4 chrysoprase cabochons and coiled designs:

A large dimensional 800 silver pin concave in shape with raised center with turquoise. Silver is hammered, and there are 3 coiled wires in notches around the rim. Signed: RF and I have not been able to figure out who that might be:

posted 01-14-2005 12:38 AM            

A silver amethyst and pearl festoon with hammered surface and fake rivets. Murrle Bennett often set their amethysts in gold colored bezels:

An unusual slide necklace with turquoises and Celtic knots. The surface is also hammered and there are fake rivets. The drops can be independently adjusted to different lengths for various looks:

posted 01-14-2005 10:11 AM            

Cheryl ;o)

posted 01-14-2005 12:33 PM            

Like Cheryl, I am particularly taken by the RF pin. It is a very intriguing design. I also like the MB & Co items, especially the amethyst necklace. The little "rivets" are great.

posted 01-14-2005 03:53 PM            

Here are some other views of the RF pin to show its construction:

posted 03-15-2005 03:52 PM            

I know that there are many regular visitors to our forums who rarely post and they also have spectacular Jugendstil & Secessionist jewelry collections. I have been lucky enough to see some small part of their jewelry collections. So many of the collections are kept locked up in bank safe deposit boxes that it can be a long time between views.

posted 03-16-2005 01:35 AM            

Here are a few more:

An unsigned (depose 800) repousse brooch with chyrsoprase or dyed green chalcedony, very light gold wash:

A Fahrner Max Gradl brooch with lapis and gold wash (this one is pretty well known, and turns up from time to time):

A large heavy hammered brooch with blister pearl and blue and white enamel by Fahrner, probably Hermann Haussler:

A Fahrner "face motif" necklace with amethysts & pearl:

A transitional Fahrner floral necklace with matte black enamel, blister pearls, and a few marcasites:

posted 02-01-2008 01:22 AM            

Here are some more examples of early Fahrner jewelry:

A Fahrner gold (not silver) plique a jour pin with matrix opal, possibly by Max Gradl. Gold Fahrner pieces (especially early ones) are extremely rare:

A Fahrner enamel necklace with amethysts and pearls probably by Hermann Haussler:

An elaborate Fahrner necklace with amethysts and purple enamel:

A Fahrner "face motif" amethyst pin (ring may not be original):

A small Fahrner abstract blue enamel necklace by Franz Boeres:

And finally, one of my favorite pieces... a Fahrner blued steel and hematite pin by Max Gradl. Gradl's steel jewelry is among the earliest Fahrner jewelry, and is exceedingly rare:

posted 03-10-2008 07:40 PM            

There is a short bio of Hans Brassler in "The Glitter and the Gold" which accompanied an exhibition at the Newark Museum. Brassler was born in Germany and won a gold medal for his designs at the Paris Exposition. His Newark company, the Brassler Co., was founded by 1909 and Hans Brassler left the company in 1916. I am sure his stickpin dates from during Brassler's time there. To me it has a definite jugendstil feeling. The same stickpin, but with lapis, is pictured on p. 62 of "The Glitter and the Gold".

The company's mark is "14B" within an oval.

posted 03-11-2008 03:07 AM            

Here's a mystery mark, which I've also seen on another piece of similar design (which looked like some early Fahrner designs). The stones are faceted amethyst. The hallmark is an S within an "arrow". If anyone knows anything about the maker, please let me know:

UPDATE: No longer a mystery. This is the mark of Christian Seybold.

posted 03-11-2008 05:51 AM            

~Cheryl

posted 05-25-2008 10:40 PM            

rat (or anybody with the Fahrner book), is the designer of this pendant known?

Does the chain look original? The clasp is a rhodium-plated replacement, so I can't tell by looking at that.

The pendant is marked TF STERLING GERMANY on applied plaques.

posted 05-26-2008 02:16 AM            

FYI, your friend's lovely amethyst brooch with silver tendrils has got to be designed by Erich Kleinhempel... the design is just like the two necklaces pictured in the Fahrner book on pgs 112-113.

As for the leaf jewelry, I don't know who the designer(s) is. There are several different "typical" leaves that I've seen in Fahrner jewelry (yours is one of them), and the pieces I've seen generally included either faceted or cabochon cut stones. I have seen mostly brooches and pendants, and even a couple of bracelets. I've got a few leaf pins (I like the leaf jewelry as well), which I'll post photos of someday when I get a chance. There are a multitude of examples plus a writeup about the "Leaf Motif" in the Fahrner book.

I think the chain on your pendant could be right... but it is hard to tell from the photograph.

- rat

posted 09-03-2008 07:15 PM            

Could you please let me know the title of the Fahrner book you have mentioned in your replies.

Thank you!

posted 09-04-2008 03:16 AM            

Thanks for the compliment on my collection. The Theodor Fahrner reference book is available in German or English (translated). It contains hundreds of examples of Fahrner jewelry of all periods, and is a fabulous reference regarding the work from this firm.

"Theodor Fahrner Jewelry...Between Avant-Garde and Tradition: Art Nouveau Art Deco the 1950s" by Ulrike Von Hase-Schmundt, Christianne Weber, and Ingeborg Becker

There are other good reference books I have on Jugendstil jewelry, including Fahrner. I can post the names if anyone would like.

posted 09-23-2008 01:28 PM            

I was skimming the exhibition book, and came across a passage which I thought was interesting, but out of family with some pieces in my collection. On page 30 of the book, it says, "Strikingly, many objects produced by the firm bear not only the stamp of the artist who designed the piece, but also that of the craftsman who executed the work... Though the distinction between artist and craftsman would always be maintained - craftsmen never designed work - the idiosyncrasies and abilities of the artisan are an integral component to our appreciation of the completed work."

I have two brooches made by Wiener Werkstatte and marked only with Josef Wagner's monogram, and shown in this thread on Wiener Werkstatte Jewelry. Josef Wagner is listed as one of the WW silversmiths (i.e., one of the craftsmen), and his monogram is shown on page 30 of the book. My two brooches are very well designed, bear full WW hallmarks, and only the monogram of JW for Josef Wagner. So it would appear to me that at least one of the craftsmen designed jewelry (unless he was the dedicated craftsman to one of the designers).

- rat