20th Century & Contemporary Auction - 13th September 2022

Published 14th September 2022

‘Vardagsskönhet’ (‘Vaar-daags-scheern-hett’) or ‘The Beauty of Everyday Life’, in English, is a Scandinavian concept which highlights the importance of beauty in the functional. That is to say that just because an object is functional doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t also be beautiful. This concept, expounded by the 19th century Swedish philosopher, Ellen Key, was fully embraced by the Georg Jensen workshop.

Tanjaufer
Lot 111 Tanja Ufer, a silver, boulder opal, sapphire and cabochon-cut emerald ring

Georg Jensen with his fine art education in the Kongelige Danske Kundstakademi and his apprenticeship in goldsmithing created objects that combined aesthetic awareness with craftsmanship. A hit both at home and also internationally, designs from the early to mid-20th century, are still well-known and sought after today. This can be seen in the solid results achieved in the jewellery designed by Henning Koppel, one of Jensen’s early designers, at Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood’s last contemporary auction, such as a pair of modernist brooches which sold for £200 and a pair of rings which sold for £260.

Wendy Ramshaw Ring 2
Lot 113 Wendy Ramshaw, a set of seven 18ct gold gem-set stacking rings

Moreover, Jensen also encouraged women designers in his workshop of which Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, was probably the most prominent. Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, trained at Konstfacket in Stockholm, was probably the first female silversmith to become internationally well-known. Already successful when she started designing for Jensen in the late 1960’s, her minimalist yet practical designs for example, the ‘Dew Drop’ ring and the reversible ring, achieved hammer prices of £300 and £500.

Wendy Ramshaw Ring
Lot 112 Wendy Ramshaw, a pair of 18ct gold green chalcedony stacking ring

This somewhat sparse Scandinavian aesthetic of form following function, or in this case, the property of the stones themselves, is also seen in the work of the contemporary jeweller, Tanja Ufer. An opal ring by her achieved a highly impressive hammer price of £920. This concept of the artistic in the everyday almost reaches its apogee in the sculptural qualities of Wendy Ramshaw’s stackable rings, which also achieved impressive prices of £1,900 and £2,100.

We are currently inviting entries for the next 20th Century & Contemporary auction, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss valuations and consignments.

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