Georg Jensen Silver

Danish silversmith Georg Jensen delighted in the curving lines of Art Nouveau, which were inspired by the organic shapes of flowers, fruits, and the female torso. Naturally enough, the flatware and hollowware he designed for his firm, founded in Copenhagen in 1904, echoed his obsession, manifested in the form of grapes, birds, and flora. Over the years, Jensen employed other designers—including Johan Rohde, Swedish prince Sigvard Bernadotte, and Harald Nielsen—who added the symmetry of Art Deco to the company’s repertoire. Jensen died in 1935, but the company that bears his name lives on. Also renowned for its fine jewelry, Jensen's company at one time produced 33 silver flatware patterns—10 are still made today. Among them are Jensen's signature 1919 Art Nouveau silverware pattern Blossom, which features a delicate flower bud, as well as vines intricately woven into the handle. That pattern embodies Jensen’s personal flair, but it is nowhere near as popular as Johan Rohde's much more sensible and subtle 1915 cutlery design, Acorn, which features a checked acorn cap. Out-of-production antique silverware lines popular with collectors include Rope, Rose or Lily of the Valley, Viking, and Fuchsia. All told, the Jensen firm has created about 1,200 hollowware and other pieces, from vases, pitchers, and bowls to tea sets and fish platters. Jensen had a fondness for semiprecious stones, so he often incorporated amber, opal, amethyst, and quartz into his hollowware designs. While Jensen's silver was always esteemed for its fineness, with a minimum of 82.6 percent silver content, it wasn't until 1933 that the company used sterling silver (fineness of 925) exclusively. This makes it easier for collectors to date their Jensen hollowware and cutlery pieces.