£3,250
Silver & Objets de Vertu | 684
Auction: 9 March 2022 at 10:00 GMT
Josef Carl Klinkosch, Vienna, circa 1880, each of octagonal form, applied borders, the tureen with an embossed cartouche depicting Classical scenes including, Apollo, Centaur among others, the scroll handles with rose detail, each with octagonal insert, to a circular foot with foliate detail, the lid with foliate border, with figural mushroom and pumpkin finial and applied monogram in a mythical fashion
Note:
Regarded as one of the finest Austrian silversmiths of the late 19th century, Josef Carl Klinkosch’s clients included members of the bourgeoisie and high society. The company 'Klinkosch' survived from the early 19th-Century to the late 20th Century under various guises. Producing fine silverware and jewellery, their success was at the very pinnacle of Austrian society, receiving their Royal Warrant to Franz Josef of Austria in 1855 and prior to that Court silversmith from 1837.
Learning his craft from his father, like his father before him, it wasn’t until 1851 that Joseph, (the third generation) ascended to the managing role. Within this time, a partnership with Mayerhofer, another court silversmith, had developed and helped publicise their work.
Klinkosch were key participants at the Viennese World Exhibition of 1873 and the Parisian Exposition Universelle in 1878 where the firm won both silver and gold medals under the supervision of Joseph Carl. It is clear to see his attention to detail and stylistic designs were a driving force to their success. Intricate details such as pumpkin and mushroom finials seen in these vegetable tureens exemplify this beautifully. It is interesting to see how the silversmith and perhaps the client went to such lengths to tie in the utility of the piece to its design. Each panel is unique in its depiction of a Classical hero or allegory, another example of the care and thought taken in producing this piece.
In 1869, Klinkosch became the sole owner, and the company was renamed JC Klinkosch and it is for this reason we can date the tureens to the latter part of the 19th-Century. His skill and fame then led to him being made a knight of the realm in Austria in 1879. Indeed, today pieces by Mayerhofer and Klinkosch form part of the Austrian Royal collection and are still used for Austrian state banquets today.
Like his father before him, he was able to pass his company and legacy on to his two sons and use his leisure time to indulge in a private art collection. Following another change of ownership, the company finally dissolved in the 1970s but it is pieces from the late 19th-Century that are sought after at auction today. In 2016, Christie’s offered ‘An Austrian Silver Jardiniere And Mirror-Plateau, Vienna, Circa 1890’ which achieved £12,500.