Georg Jensen, 1920, Copenhagen, Solid Silver, Round Box, Art Nouveau, Skønvirke

Art Nouveau solid silver box – Georg Jensen, Copenhagen, 1920 – Model No. 153

An elegant circular box made of solid silver, crafted in 1920 by the renowned Georg Jensen silverware manufactory in Copenhagen.

The domed body, with its particularly soft lines, is accented at the rim by a frieze of oval elements in relief. The removable lid, lightly hammered, is adorned in the center with a stylized flower whose three-dimensional center forms the handle.

The contrast between the luminous surfaces of the silver and the deliberately darkened areas of the sculpted decoration lends the piece remarkable depth.

This box, bearing model number 153, is a beautiful example of Danish Art Nouveau, also known as Skønvirke, of which Georg Jensen was one of the most illustrious representatives.

Dimensions and Weight

Diameter: 6.50 cm.

Weight: 44 grams.

Sterling silver: 830/1000.

Georg Jensen (1866–1935)

A Danish silversmith, sculptor, and designer, Georg Jensen founded his own workshop in Copenhagen in 1904, after training as a silversmith and studying sculpture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

His work is distinguished by its organic forms, its plant-inspired motifs, its delicately hammered surfaces, and the sculptural quality of its ornamentation. His artistic approach, combining Art Nouveau influences with the principles of the Arts and Crafts movement, helped define the identity of 20th-century Scandinavian design.

As early as 1914, the Louvre acquired one of his creations, a testament to the international recognition the silversmith was already enjoying.

Although Georg Jensen enjoyed significant international renown during his lifetime, the company experienced a new phase of considerable commercial expansion after World War II.

Silverware pieces made before 1940, generally produced in more limited quantities, are much less common on the market than those produced after 1945. They are particularly sought after by collectors.

Dated 1920, this box belongs to the workshop’s early production period, considered one of the most prestigious in its history. Created just sixteen years after the workshop was founded, while Georg Jensen was still alive, it fully embodies the artistic spirit and quality of craftsmanship that made the Danish master silversmith famous.

Hallmarks

The box bears, on its base, the Georg Jensen factory’s historic hallmark—the fineness mark consisting of the initials “GI” above the number 830, indicating a silver content of 830/1000— the year 1920, and the model number 153.

Bibliography and References

David A. Taylor and Jason W. Laskey, *Georg Jensen: Holloware*, The Silver Fund, 2003.

Janet Drucker, *Georg Jensen: A Tradition of Splendid Silver*, Schiffer Publishing, 2001.

Another example of model 153 appears in the catalog for the Elstob Auctioneers sale on September 11, 2024, lot 158.