Item number: 60131
An Art Nouveau 800 grade silver fish cutlery “Iris” World Exhibition #2400 for eight persons,
Heilbronn circa 1900 by Bruckmann & Söhne
Floral pattern to both sides. The monogram section at the lower end of the handle decorated with a subtle monogram “W”.
Rarely encountered variation in 800 silver, with the tines and blades analogously worked in silver.
Forks: 19.2 cm / 7.55″ length; 432.9 g / 13.91 oz
Knives: 21.2 cm / 8.34″ length; 416.9 g / 13.40 oz
The “Iris” pattern cutlery #2400 by Bruckmann & Söhne
The pattern of this fish cutlery was named #2400 at Bruckmann & Söhne and is known today to collectors as “Iris pattern” or “Iris World Exhibition”. The cutlery was designed in the classical, floral Art Nouveau style and was clearly related to cutlery designs of the French Art Nouveau, especially those of Jean E. Puiforcat. It was first presented at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900 and awarded Bruckmann & Söhne a gold medal. The silver cutlery was produced in an extremely elaborate manner and comprised an enormous number of different cutlery and serving pieces, which in turn were designed differently at their handles. For the fish cutlery, for example, there exist different decorative varieties, such as a purely floral pattern or a variation with fish and seaweed, as well as a variant in which a lobster forms the handle of the fish knife, an octopus the handle of the fish fork and a crayfish the handle of the crab knife. This variation is a further modification of the fish cutlery that was previously unknown to us.
Due to its elaborate manufacture, the World Exhibition cutlery was one of the most expensive flatware made by Bruckmann & Söhne. Today it is one of the most sought-after pieces of German Art Nouveau flatware. It was produced exclusively in silver.
