German Silver Plate Ikora Bowl by Wolfgang Tumpel for WMF, 1920s
Designed by Wolfgang Tumpel for Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik (WMF) in the late 1920s, this rare bowl captures the Bauhaus-era pursuit of clarity, proportion, and material innovation. The shallow, silver-plated brass vessel appears to float above its base, balanced delicately on three black lacquered wooden spheres. The composition is strikingly simple yet unmistakably modern—its restrained geometry speaking to the ideals of functionality and timeless form that defined German design between the wars.
The piece belongs to WMF’s celebrated Ikora line, a series of experimental works that explored new metal finishes and surface treatments. These objects pushed the boundaries of decorative arts, bridging traditional craft with the avant-garde spirit of the Bauhaus.
This very bowl was featured in Bauhaus_Sachsen, the 2019 Bauhaus centenary exhibition at the Grassi Museum for Applied Arts in Leipzig, underscoring its historical importance and confirming its place within the canon of early 20th-century German design. Both a functional vessel and a work of modernist sculpture, it stands as a rare survivor from a period when the language of design was being rewritten.
DIMENSIONS: 14"W x 14"D x 3.5"H
ORIGIN: Germany
PERIOD: 1920s
MATERIALS: Brass,Wood,Lacquer,Silver
CONDITION:
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