LITERATURE
1. WMF, Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik: Marks - Hallmarks - History, http://www.silvercollection.it/WMF.html
2. Annette Denhardt. Das Metallwarendesign der Württembergischen Metallwarenfabrik (WMF) zwischen 1900 und 1930. Historismus – Jugendstil – Art Deco. (Lit Verlag, Münster, 1993), pp.1-231 [in German].
3. Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk and Claudia Kanowski, Modern Art of Metallwork (Berlin: Bröhan Museum, 2001), pp.352-365.
4. Art Nouveau Domestic Metalwork from Württembergische Metallwaren Fabrik, Reprint of 1906 Catalogue, Second Edition (Antique Collectors’ Club Ltd., Woodbridge, 2008), pp.1-392.
This firm has an unbeatable reputation as a pioneer in silver plate production of Art Nouveau items. The famous Antiques Price Guide of Judith Miller (published annually by Dorling Kindersley Ltd.) gives two whole pages for the description of WMF metal ware Art Nouveau products. In this catalogue no other European firm, active in this area in the beginning of XX century, is mentioned, neither Christofle, nor Arthur Krupp Berndorf, nor Wellner. The auction prices for WMF pieces are also rather high. At the same time the silver coating on WMF items is usually of much lower quality than that on the products of the above-named firms. This could be explained by the history of this foundry. Carl Haegele, head of a small enterprise which was a predecessor to WMF, produced his first electro-plated items rather late, in 1871. On the contrary, Charles Christofle, already had in 1844 a similar technology in operation. It should be also emphasized that WMF factory made a lot of experiments with different base metals for silverplating, which often turned out to be worse than common Alpacca.