Wurttembergische Metallwarenfabrik W.M.F. Vase c. 1920 Hammered Pantinated Ikora. This gorgeous Art Nouveau silver vase is accented with copper leaves. It is marked with a castle or lighthouse in a circle, over the letters WMF. The Art Nouveau vase made by Wurttembergische Metallwarenfabrik is in the Ikora line, which was done from 1925 to 1930. It is 9 1/4 inches tall, 23 1/8 inches around at the widest part of the center, and 3 1/2 inches in diameter across the top and bottom. In 1892 saw the development of a special technique for silver plating cutlery, whereby the silver is distributed in a way that, at the points of the cutlery most exposed to wear and tear, the coating is twice as thick as elsewhere. This process was patented and is still in use today. Known nowadays as 'Perfect Hard Silver plating' the technique remains exclusive to WMF.Under Carl Hugele the company gained international standing. At the turn of the century the factory in Geislingen employed 3,000 workers. By 1910, this number had already grown to 4,000, making WMF the largest company in Wurttemberg at this time. Sales catalogues were printed in twelve languages. Subsidiary companies in London, Warsaw and Vienna opened up export markets.Under the direction of Albert Mayer the WMF studio was influenced by the art nouveau style. The product range was modernized and considerably extended. In 1905 WMF acquired a majority holding of the Cologne company Orivit AG, which manufactured products from "Orivit", a tin alloy.As of 1925, products created by the Contemporary Decorative Products Department (NKA) made their debut on the market. This department was set up under the direction of Hugo Debach in order to establish the name of WMF amongst consumers interested in art and design. This department was responsible for producing the special "Ikora" finish, which has earned an important place in the annals of art history. The "Ikora" brand name referred to a specific method of treating the surface of the metal, by which layers of coating were applied in a partly chemical and partly heat induced process. A host of newly developed hand-finishing techniques enhanced the possibilities for adding decorative flourishes to the products.

has 2 dings at bottom edge and missing silver finish along edges on bottom of vase.

12 x 12 x 12 in

4 lb