Friday 13 March 2015

Georg Jensen 1866-1935

I have just happened to notice that Fellows, the auctioneers,
are having a sale today of Vintage Jewellery & Accessories.
Nothing particularly unusual in that, auctions are taking
place all the time, but on this occasion they have
a couple of brooches by Georg Jensen going
under the hammer and that's more than enough to
grab my attention for a while.

Today's caption competition, answers must be in Swedish!
 
 For those of you not familiar with his work, Georg was
a Swedish designer of ceramics, sculptor, goldsmith
but perhaps he is best known for his silver jewellery.
Amongst his contemporaries were Charles Robert Ashbee
and Charles Rennie Mackintosh, all three of them key names
in the Arts & Crafts Movement.

This one's in the auction today.

 In line with current thinking Georg's desire was to make everyday
objects not only beautiful but affordable too which is rather an irony in
view of the prices his work fetches at auction today.

Iron and silver brooch
 
During the First World War his company created the now
famous "iron jewellery" in an attempt to safeguard the
dwindling stocks of silver and this is avidly sought out by
collectors the world over. 

Deer and squirrel - key components of many Long Dogs
but that's where the similarity ends.
 
Georg died in 1935 but the company has continued in his name
and is still producing beautiful work which bears his
signature to this day.

Arts & Crafts at it's finest.
 
History lesson over, the auction starts at 9.30am
and as I seem to have left it too late to register
there's no fear of me getting into a bidding war with
some other determined admirer of Mr Jensen's
fabulous creations.  Saved from myself again! 

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