wolfersbelleepoque

Magazine
By Martine D’Haeseleer

Edited with the kind help of Ricardo Zapata
'New York Silver Society'
New York Silver Society Journal - June 2004

A VIEW FROM THE OLD WORLD

Martine D’Haeseleer, a former NYSS contributor, has spent many years studying, teaching and advocating 19^th-century Belgian Silver. This is your editor’s abstract of her article on a prominent Belgian silver maker. For more detailed information, you may contact Martine by e-mail at info@silverbel.com

Belle Epoque Belgium Silverware – The Wolfers Frères Workshop (Abstract)

American scholars and collectors are often quite knowledgeable about English, French, German and even Austrian silver, but are relatively less informed about Belgian silver. This article aims to partially close this gap by looking into the works of the 19^th century Wolfers Frères house, outstanding exponents of Belle Epoque silverware. It also attempts to dispel some common arguments aimed at discrediting the quality of 19^th century silver in general.

After achieving full political independence in 1831, Belgium’s successful industrial development fostered prosperity and life enjoyment for an expanding middle class. This was much in evidence during the so-called Belle Epoque (1895 - 1910), a time when, in the words of the popular singer, Jacques Brel, "Bruxelles brusselait ..". Against this favorable backdrop, three German brothers, Edouard, Guillaume and Louis Wolfers, established two silversmith workshops in Brussels, which would achieve financial success and popularity throughout Belgium. Their reputation was comparable to those of Puiforcat, Odiot and Aucoc in Paris; Garrard in London; and Tiffany and Gorham in America.

In 1852, Louis Wolfers (1820-1892) registered his maker’s mark, a letter W below a boar’s head. Later on, he sent his three sons, Phillipe, Max and Robert, to prospect for business in other European countries, resulting in associations with important firms in Germany and Holland (this explains why some German marks are over punched with Wolfers silversmith marks.) In 1885, Phillipe Wolfers

became a partner and artistic director in his father’s business, which was renamed Louis Wolfers Pére et Fils. Phillipe would later play a key role in the development of Art Nouveau in Belgium. His brother Max joined the firm in 1890. After their father’s death in 1892, they renamed it, Wolfers Frères, and introduced a new maker’s mark--three pentacles inside a triangle (a rare example of a personal mark using Masonic symbols--which remained in use until 1942. In 1897, Robert Wolfers persuaded the firm to install hydraulic presses for the production of flatware. Around the turn of the century, various jewelers were granted exclusive contracts for Wolfers products, branches

were opened in Budapest and Bucharest, and silver was exported into Russia. By 1907, the firm employed about 150 workers.

When discussing the merits of 19^th century decorative arts, one runs into arguments based on comparison with work made in previous centuries, such as the dominance of styles derived directly from the past, or the progressive emphasis on cost-saving methods and techniques. Perhaps a more constructive approach is to remember that an object’s

quality is determined ultimately by the way its details are executed. During the second

Bonbonniére

Water Jug

half of the 19^th century, silversmiths were still working in a highly skilled mode. Even if so-called ‘neo’ or ‘revival’ styles may have been short in innovation, the quality of their silver products was comparable to that of 18^thand older century pieces. As for moving toward higher production efficiencies and cost-saving methods, there is ample evidence that the use of casting, lathe turning and stamping were in place by the second half of the 16^th century. In addition, the argument that 19^th century bourgeoisie favored reproductions of 18^th century styles (neo- Louis XV, often called ‘Rococo’, and neo-Louis XVI styles) because they wanted their silver to look rich and reflect their own prosperity, conveniently ignores that ‘Rocaille’– an extremely eccentric interpretation of the Louis XV -- was highly popular in the 18^th century. No doubt, the so-called ‘Eclecticism’ of the 19^th is a combination of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI and Rocaille. Wolfers silver provides excellent examples of this style as a vehicle for evolving smoothly from earlier forms to new decorative elements. In the illustrated pieces, the bonbonnière features powerful repoussé

ornamentation with waved and fluted lines like a spiral cascade on a paneled body. Both the water jug and the ice cream serving dish display influences of Japanesque art themes and patterns, particularly in the use of wave forms. Phillipe Wolfers became familiar with Japanese art with the opening of "La Maison Japonaise" in Bussels in 1866, as well as at the world exposition in Vienna in 1873. His silver had a distinctive heavy character, cast or hammered, always evidencing the touch of highly-skilled workmanship. A representative

Sample of Wolfers’ work and that of his contemporaries is on display at the Zilvermuseum Sterckshof/ Provincie Antwerpen, Belgium. www.zilvermuseum.be

Ice Cream Serving Dish

A VIEW FROM THE OLD WORLD
Martine D’Haeseleer, a former NYSS contributor, has spent many years studying, teaching and advocating 19^th-century Belgian Silver. This is your editor’s abstract of her article on a prominent Belgian silver maker. For more detailed information, you may contact Martine by e-mail at info@silverbel.com
Belle Epoque Belgium Silverware – The Wolfers Frères Workshop (Abstract)
American scholars and collectors are often quite knowledgeable about English, French, German and even Austrian silver, but are relatively less informed about Belgian silver. This article aims to partially close this gap by looking into the works of the 19^th century Wolfers Frères house, outstanding exponents of Belle Epoque silverware. It also attempts to dispel some common arguments aimed at discrediting the quality of 19^th century silver in general. After achieving full political independence in 1831, Belgium’s successful industrial development fostered prosperity and life enjoyment for an expanding middle class. This was much in evidence during the so-called *Belle Epoque* (1895 - 1910), a time when, in the words of the popular singer, Jacques Brel, "Bruxelles brusselait ..". Against this favorable backdrop, three German brothers, Edouard, Guillaume and Louis Wolfers, established two silversmith workshops in Brussels, which would achieve financial success and popularity throughout Belgium. Their reputation was comparable to those of Puiforcat, Odiot and Aucoc in Paris; Garrard in London; and Tiffany and Gorham in America.
	In 1852, Louis Wolfers (1820-1892) registered his maker’s mark, a letter W below a boar’s head. Later on, he sent his three sons, Phillipe, Max and Robert, to prospect for business in other European countries, resulting in associations with important firms in Germany and Holland (this explains why some German marks are over punched with Wolfers silversmith marks.) In 1885, Phillipe Wolfers
became a partner and artistic director in his father’s business, which was renamed *Louis Wolfers Pére et Fils. Phillipe would later play a key role in the development of Art Nouveau in Belgium. His brother Max joined the firm in 1890. After their father’s death in 1892, they renamed it, Wolfers Frères*, and introduced a new maker’s mark--three pentacles inside a triangle (a rare example of a personal mark using Masonic symbols--which remained in use until 1942. In 1897, Robert Wolfers persuaded the firm to install hydraulic presses for the production of flatware. Around the turn of the century, various jewelers were granted exclusive contracts for Wolfers products, branches
were opened in Budapest and Bucharest, and silver was exported into Russia. By 1907, the firm employed about 150 workers. When discussing the merits of 19^th century decorative arts, one runs into arguments based on comparison with work made in previous centuries, such as the dominance of styles derived directly from the past, or the progressive emphasis on cost-saving methods and techniques. Perhaps a more constructive approach is to remember that an object’s
quality is determined ultimately by the way its details are executed. During the second			Bonbonniére
Water Jug		half of the 19^th century, silversmiths were still working in a highly skilled mode. Even if so-called ‘neo’ or ‘revival’ styles may have been short in innovation, the quality of their silver products was comparable to that of 18^thand older century pieces. As for moving toward higher production efficiencies and cost-saving methods, there is ample evidence that the use of casting, lathe turning and stamping were in place by the second half of the 16^th century. In addition, the argument that 19^th century bourgeoisie favored reproductions of 18^th century styles (neo- Louis XV, often called ‘Rococo’, and neo-Louis XVI styles) because they wanted their silver to look rich and reflect their own prosperity, conveniently ignores that ‘Rocaille’– an extremely eccentric interpretation of the Louis XV -- was highly popular in the 18^th century. No doubt, the so-called ‘Eclecticism’ of the 19^th is a combination of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI and Rocaille. Wolfers silver provides excellent examples of this style as a vehicle for evolving smoothly from earlier forms to new decorative elements. In the illustrated pieces, the bonbonnière features powerful repoussé
ornamentation with waved and fluted lines like a spiral cascade on a paneled body. Both the water jug and the ice cream serving dish display influences of Japanesque art themes and patterns, particularly in the use of wave forms. Phillipe Wolfers became familiar with Japanese art with the opening of "La Maison Japonaise" in Bussels in 1866, as well as at the world exposition in Vienna in 1873. His silver had a distinctive heavy character, cast or hammered, always evidencing the touch of highly-skilled workmanship. A representative
Sample of Wolfers’ work and that of his contemporaries is on display at the Zilvermuseum Sterckshof/ Provincie Antwerpen, Belgium. www.zilvermuseum.be				Ice Cream Serving Dish