Early 20th Century Jugendstil German Polished Pewter Penguin-Shaped Decanter Designed by Hugo Leven for Kayserzinn Factory

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Early 20th century Jugendstil polished pewter penguin-shaped decanter designed by Hugo Leven for Kayserzinn factory

By: Hugo Leven, Kaiserzinn
Material: … Read more Early 20th century Jugendstil polished pewter penguin-shaped decanter designed by Hugo Leven for Kayserzinn factory

By: Hugo Leven, Kaiserzinn
Material: pewter, copper, lead, tin, metal
Technique: polished, metalwork, cast, hand-crafted
Dimensions: 4 in x 8 in
Date: 1900-1902
Style: Jugendstil, Art Nouveau
Place of origin: Germany

This piece serves as an Jugendstil (german Art Nouveau) style penguin-shaped decanter; with simple, minimalist lines and a smooth surface due its polished material, it has a lid resembling the bird's head at the top which is operated by a hammer-like mechanism that can be pushed down with the thumb to open it. It has a handle on one side to hold it. The Kaiserzinn factory seal can be seen underneath.

Around 1890 Engelbert Kayser, then director of the biggest German pewter factory of the 19th century, Kayserzinn, hired designer Hugo Leven. From 1895 to 1904, Leven proposed numerous models that had a lasting Art Nouveau influence on the pewter foundry. See less