Posted 9 years ago
jensen
(100 items)
Silver vase with a typical early twentieth-century decoration, the so-called Skoenvirke style (similar to Jugendstil / art nouveau). On the shoulders the vase carries the inscription “G.A. Hagemann, 1. maj 1905, De Danske Sukkerfabrikker” (“G.A. Hagemann, May 1, 1905, The Danish Sugar Factories”). Normally I would not be interested in a vase with an inscription, but G.A. Hagemann (1842-1916) was one of the most important industrialists in Denmark in the years around 1900. A chemical engineer, he was the director of the Sugar Factories (1880-1897), the director of the Technical University 1902-1912, chairman of the board in several large companies, active in politics, he patented 13 different inventions, and not least founded the first hall of residence for both men and women (G.A. Hagemanns Kollegium) in 1908 – and that is where I lived when I was at university, hence my interest in him!
Initially I thought that the vase had been given to Hagemann, but as vetraio as pointed out (see comments below), there are more of these vases in existence, so it was probably given by him to some people who were somehow deemed worthy of this gift. It remains a mystery, though, what the occasion was. In 1905 I think he was a member of the board at the Sugar Factories, and thanks to his wise decisions the year was exceptionally successful for the company (despite general unrest and crises in many economies at the time), so maybe this was celebrated?
Height: 14.7 cm. Marks: to the left the three towers, indicating silver (originally used only in Copenhagen), below which the year 1905. At the top a monogram, perhaps ‘AB’ for silver smith G.A.F. Baentsch (1901-1944), and to the right the initials CFH for Christian Fr. Heise, the so-called ‘silver guardein’ (an official ‘guaranteeing’ that the object is made of silver), who was in office 1904-1932. Finally, a fourth mark I cannot decipher (possibly the dealer).
It's beautiful!..:-)
What a STUNNER !!!!!!
I've just seen another two of the same at Lauritz.
"Et par små skønvirke vaser af sølv graveret med vækstornamentik samt med fire påsatte blade med hanke. Begge gravet:"G.A. Hagemann . De Danske Sukkerfabrikker . 1' Maj . 1905". Begge stemplet med uidentificeret mestermærke BJ eller ABJ samt indslået K.T. 1904. H. 14,5 Diam. 8 cm. Vægt ialt 571 gr. "
http://www.lauritz.com/da/auktion/et-par-smaa-skoenvirke-vaser-af-soelv-1905-2/i3397609/
There s another one here too :
http://www.vadärdenvärd.se/s/1469484/skonvirke-vase-solv/
Well discovered - I hadn't even seen that! Interesting - perhaps these vases were not given to him, then, but by him to others (members of the board or other dignitaries?)
That was my thought at first. Is May 1 important. May Day was introduced in 1886 as a celebration of the Worker. But it also has a long history as a Spring Festival celebration.
Perhaps you're on to something! - May 1 was and is an important date here - it is still celebrated with ½ a day off, political meeting all over the country etc.
I just googled ""G.A. Hagemann . De Danske Sukkerfabrikker . 1' Maj . 1905".
Then ". De Danske Sukkerfabrikker . 1' Maj . 1905".
Trying to see if there was a special event at the Sugar Factory.
I lucked out but read parts of this ....
http://www.braintrustbase.com/sites/default/files/upload-grafik/uploads/Møn%20Opgave_0.pdf
beautiful!!
Thanks for the loves and the comments!
Thanks, vetraio - I read the article, but there wasn't anything specific about 1905 in it (but thanks, anyway!). I've also looked in the two books written about Hagemann, but it didn't make me any wiser... Perhaps I will one day be able to locate someone who knows the history of the Sugar Factories...
I wonder how many factories there were?
In principle only one (located in this beautiful building from 1912 in central Copenhagen: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DANISCO_(Christianshavn).jpg), but several other smaller refineries were either taken over from the start or later incorporated, so that's probably the reason for the plural...
So wonderful!!!!
wow a real skoenvirke museumpiece!!!!
Thank you so much, artislove! And thanks for the comment, Elisabethan!
Stunning!
Thank, Agram.m!