Скачать или смотреть Keller - Antique French Original Art Deco 950 Sterling Silver Serving Tureen - Like New !

Direct from Paris: From the birth place of Art Deco, a magnificent 3pc."Gatsby Era" original 950 sterling silver soup / stew serving tureen, in near new condition by France's premier Art Deco silversmith "Gustave Keller" and no monograms, circa early 1920s. The history of French silversmithing reached new heights of innovation during the Art Deco period, and among its most distinguished practitioners was Gustave Keller. While primarily known for his 19th century creations, Keller's workshop evolved brilliantly into the 20th century, embracing the bold geometric forms and streamlined elegance of Art Deco design. His 950-sterling silver serving tureens from this era represent some of the finest examples of Art Deco metalwork, combining traditional craftsmanship with avant-garde aesthetics.

The Pinnacle of Craftsmanship: Keller's Art Deco creations maintained his signature commitment to material excellence. He continued working primarily in 950 sterling silver (95% pure), a standard that exceeded the typical 925 sterling used by many contemporaries. This higher silver content gave his pieces a distinctive luminosity and depth of shine while allowing for sharper definition in the geometric patterns that characterized Art Deco work. The substantial weight of his tureens - often ranging from 3 to 5 kilograms for medium-sized pieces - immediately conveyed their quality and permanence. The construction of Keller's Art Deco tureens demonstrated extraordinary technical mastery. Unlike the flowing organic forms of his earlier work, these pieces required precise angular fabrication. Rectilinear bodies with crisp corners were hand-raised from single sheets of silver, a process demanding exceptional skill to maintain perfect symmetry. Hand-chased decoration, when present, took the form of stylized floral motifs, sunburst patterns, or zigzag borders executed with machine-like precision yet bearing subtle evidence of the artisan's hand.

Many of his most impressive tureens featured innovative hinged mechanisms for their lids, often with discreet counterweights to ensure smooth operation. The interiors were sometimes gilded, both to protect the silver from tarnishing due to food contact and to create a striking visual contrast when the piece was opened during service. Handles frequently took the form of stylized geometric elements or streamlined animal forms, their ergonomic design belying their artistic sophistication.

Royal and Celebrity Patronage: While the clientele for luxury silver had changed since the 19th century, Keller's workshop maintained connections with European aristocracy while also catering to the new elite of industrialists, entertainers, and cultural figures. His Art Deco pieces found particular favor among sophisticated international patrons who appreciated the marriage of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Notable commissions included a spectacular lobster tureen created for the Duke of Westminster's yacht in 1927, featuring a detachable ice liner and a body decorated with abstracted wave motifs. Another celebrated piece was the "Étoile" soup tureen made for the reopening of the Hôtel Ritz Paris in 1925, its angular form punctuated by starburst engravings that caught the light brilliantly in the hotel's dining room.

The workshop also produced pieces for American clients, including a striking geometric cocktail set for Cole Porter and a modernist tea service for the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. These commissions demonstrated how Keller's designs, while rooted in French tradition, appealed to the international jet set who favored Art Deco's universal aesthetic language.

Signature Art Deco Serving Tureens: Keller's Art Deco tureens represent the apex of his interwar production. These pieces typically fell into three distinct stylistic categories, each demonstrating different aspects of his design philosophy: The "Architectural" series featured strong vertical lines and stepped forms inspired by contemporary skyscraper design. A notable example is the 1926 "Gratte-Ciel" (Skyscraper) tureen, its lid forming a ziggurat-like pyramid that could be removed in sections to access different compartments. The body was decorated with alternating polished and matte-finished bands that created dramatic light play. "Organic Modern" designs incorporated streamlined natural motifs. The 1928 "Flora" tureen used overlapping leaf forms in high relief, their surfaces hand-hammered to produce a dappled texture resembling sunlight through foliage. Despite its natural inspiration, the overall effect was thoroughly modern, with the leaves arranged in precise geometric repetition.