Pair of Antique German Hanau Repoussé Silver Pepperettes by Vereinigte Silberwarenfabrik (c. 1914)
Price: $450.00 CAD
Description:
A magnificent, fully authentic matching pair of early 20th-century German silver pepperettes showcasing an exceptional level of high-relief repoussé detail. Crafted in the historicist hotbed of Hanau, Germany, these baluster-form table shakers feature a stunning “Dutch Village Festival” narrative design cycle. The main bodies are richly decorated with highly dimensional chased figures of a couple joyfully dancing alongside a village bagpipe player playing music. The lower borders are finished with delicate bands of crisp floral sprays.
Both pieces include their original matching, hand-pierced reticulated openwork covers topped with pristine multi-tiered pinecone finials. The undersides reveal a completely unweighted, hollow-pedestal construction displaying the genuine interior hammer marks of period silversmithing craftsmanship. Hand-stamped with a classic, documented set of Hanau pseudo-hallmarks matching the workshop of Vereinigte Silberwarenfabrik (VSF), including their signature multi-point star/sunburst and stylized heraldic shield.
Dimensions: Height: 3 1/4”
Weight: 59 grams total combined weight
Secondary Market Reality: Detailed antique German Hanau repoussé shakers from documented workshops like Vereinigte Silberwarenfabrik carry immense collector demand globally. Hanau historicist silver is highly coveted today for its masterful metal sculpture work, crisp hand-engraved detailing, and artistic storytelling. Thankfully, the previous owners of this pair did not aggressively polish them over the decades, preserving the crisp, hand-engraved contours of the dancing figures and leaving the masterful background stippling fully intact.
Our Preservation Policy:
We intentionally do not polish or clean our silver, choosing instead to leave it in its natural, time-earned condition. This allows our clients the freedom to appreciate the current patina—which beautifully shadows and accentuates the incredible three-dimensional depth of the chased figures—or to have the piece cleaned to their own preference, ensuring it suits their individual taste and intended use.