Ageless genius: Josef Hoffmann at the Art Nouveau auction on 30 May 2018
Applied art at its best in the company of universal talent, architect and designer Josef Hoffmann, founder of the Wiener Werkstätte: The Dorotheum Vienna Art Nouveau auction on 30 May 2018 will present two rare pieces by this most significant proponent of Viennese Jugendstil.
 
A gold brooch of symmetrical geometric form and decorated with a stylised flower and variously shaped leaves of mother-of-pearl and moonstones originally dates to 1912. This exceptional and unique jewel is estimated at 150,000 to 300,000 Euro and comes from a German private collection, having spent the last nine years on display at the Pforzheim jewellery museum. A silver candy bowl with punched floral décor likewise dates to 1912 (€12,000 – 15,000).
 
Characterised by curving lines, a silver pendant and chain designed by Hoffmann in 1903, was produced by Wiener Werkstätte (estimate €90,000 – 150,000) in an edition limited to three pieces.
 
A writing desk and armchair designed by Otto Prutscher once stood in the apartment of the famous Austrian theatre- and film director Max Reinhard (€15,000 – 30,000, €5,000 – 8,000). Six wine glasses more than 20cm in height are priced at 18,000 to 30,000 Euro, while a May-green and brown vase by Lötz Veuve is estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000 Euro. This vase, part of a series, was on display in 1908 at a major art exhibition in Vienna, which dedicated a whole room to Wiener Werkstätte.
 
A lot of Loos
What would modern design be without Adolf Loos? The upcoming auction presents a large hanging lamp resembling a mineral structure, a facet lamp designed in ca. 1902/3 (€15,000 – 25,000) as well as a classic Loos piece, one of his famous "Knieschwimmer" armchairs (€12,000 – 18,000).
 
The poetic title „Die Nacht des Tages“ (A day's night) was assigned by Alphonse Mucha himself to a four-segmented screen, where each of the decorative textile designs appears to be outlined by a delicate frame (€12,000 – 18,000).
 
Carved and inlaid natural landscapes and iris blossoms decorate an étagère by Louis Majorelle dating to 1900, that may serve as an excellent example of French floral Art Nouveau (€12,000 – 18,000). A gold display case by Curt Stoeving, dedicated to the sea god Triton, also shows a floral and arabesque décor; it was exhibited in Dresden in 1903, the year of its design (€7,000 – 12,000).
 
Additional international Art Nouveau works will be contributed by Tiffany Studio, Albin Müller, Marcel Bouraine, and Hector Guimard.

ART NOUVEAU AND 20th CENTURY APPLIED ART
Auction date Wednesday 30 May 2018, 2:00 pm
Public viewing from 25 May 2018
Venue Palais Dorotheum, Vienna 1, Dorotheergasse 17
Specialist Dr. Magda Pfabigan, Tel. +43-1-515 60-383, magda.pfabigan@dorotheum.at