DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0084
80 line in silver vessels was first introduced by Joseph Fraget, who came from France in 1824 and opened
a factory of silver and silver-plated ware in Warsaw. In the first half of the century large silversmithing
workshop were run in Warsaw by Maciej Nowakowski, Karol Malcz, Fmil R.tdke and Ludwik Nast,
who produced large quantities of silver in Late Neo-Classical, Empire, Neo-Baroque and eclectic styles.
In the latter half of the 19th century, industrial production of silverware was started in Warsaw by
Edward Schreider, Gustaw Radke, Teodor Werner and Jan Pogorzilski, whose products continued
the tradition of the various historical styles. They found many customers both in Poland and abroad,
especially in the vast Russian Empire where Warsaw wares could be exported without customs or tariff
barriers. It should be noted that gold- and silversmiths working on their own according to the traditional
guild system still continued to ply their trade. Some obtained concessions without having to pass the
examination customarily required of apprentices. This concerned Jewish gold- and silversmiths who were
mainly engaged in making liturgical objects, such as Hanukkah lamps, spice boxes, Seder cups, Sabbath
candleholders, menorahs and Torah crowns. The latter objects did not represent a high artistic standard;
partly wrought by hand, partly assembled from stamped elements of thin silver sheet, they were usually
richly adorned with filigree in Neo-Baroque motifs of flowers, lions, stag, eagles and peacocks as symbols
of strength, speed, endurance and beauty. Art Nouveau first appeared in the work of Warsaw gold- and
silversmiths shortly before the year 1900. Artists were asked to cooperate, but the softly undulating,
intertwining style of their designs proved more effective in casts of various alloys such as bronze or pewter
rather than silver. Warsaw silverware from the time of the Duchy of Warsaw up to the middle of the
century, bears various makers' signs: full name or only initials, stamp of a workshop, the number '12'
denoting the fineness of silver and the word 'Warsaw' or 'in Warsaw'. In the latter half of the century,
following the opening of the Central Assay Office attached to the Warsaw Mint, the hallmark was stamped
on silver objects, with the tester's initials, date and fineness of the silver — '84', '88', or '91' — and the
two-headed Russian eagle. Until then the fineness of silver was measured in ounces, and now the Russian
iglotnikh was introduced according to which pure silver had a '96' mark of fineness.
In Cracow, which following the third partition in 1795 was incorporated in Austria, an assay office
was opened in 1796 in connection with purchases of gold and silver for the Vienna Mint. In 1806—07
strict fiscal regulations were introduced in the whole Austrian partition zone: all objects of gold and
silver in the possession of private citizens and Church institutions had to be presented for reassaying,
against a high fee. Since many people could not afford to pay the fee, a large number of national heirlooms
had to be sold and went into the melting pot of the Austrian Mint. New regulations were adopted and
remained in force throughout the period when Cracow was a Free City, from 181 5 till 1848, with the
result that the standard of gold- and silversmiths' work in that city improved to a considerable extent,
thanks to such renowned masters as Stanislaw Westfalewicz (active in 18.21—42) and Leonard Nitsch
(active in 1835—66). They made table silver of every kind, candlesticks, rings and liturgical vessels,
particularly chalices. Their style, derived from the French Empire and later the Biedermeier, generally
speaking did not differ from that which predominated in Vienna, Prague and Warsaw. Filigree silver
baskets in the Biedermeier style were very fashionable in Cracow. During the year of revolutions in
1848, Cracow lost its status of a free-city and was reincorporated with Austria. Consequently, the assay
system binding in Austria was extended to Cracow also. The figure '13' (13 ounces) became the mark of
standard quality silver, followed by the date and symbol 'E' for the city of Cracow. Silver objects made
in provincial towns supervised by the Cracow Assay Office were marked the same way, the symbol being:
'E 1' for Biala, 'E 2' for Bochnia, 'E 3' for Tarnow, 'E 4' for Rzeszow and 'E 5' for Nowy S^cz. In
that period, silver made in Lvov was marked with the symbol 'D'. In the latter half of the 19th century,
historical styles were dominant in the work of Cracow gold- and silversmiths. Following Warsaw's
example, factory methods of production were introduced. Industrial manufacture of silver-plated
objects, mostly Louis Seize tableware, was opened in Cracow by Eugeniusz Kleiiz (1 86 1 —191 5). At the
same time, however, there were still gold- and silversmiths of great talent and ambition, real masters in
their art working in Cracow. One of them was Wladyslaw Glixelli (active in 1884—95) who made
a crown for the Miraculous Picture of Our Lady of the Sands, according to a drawing by Jan Matejko,
and a rector's sceptre, modelled on the 1 5 th century sceptre of Cardinal Olesnicki, for Stanislaw Tarnowski.
Another was Jozef Hakowski (1834—94) who specialized in reproducing on silver plaques Jan Matejko's
paintings, for example Sobieski at Vienna, and Kosciusifco at Raciawice, and who also made chalices with
finely wrought allegorical and patriotic figures and symbols. During the Austrian occupation Lvov remained
a factory of silver and silver-plated ware in Warsaw. In the first half of the century large silversmithing
workshop were run in Warsaw by Maciej Nowakowski, Karol Malcz, Fmil R.tdke and Ludwik Nast,
who produced large quantities of silver in Late Neo-Classical, Empire, Neo-Baroque and eclectic styles.
In the latter half of the 19th century, industrial production of silverware was started in Warsaw by
Edward Schreider, Gustaw Radke, Teodor Werner and Jan Pogorzilski, whose products continued
the tradition of the various historical styles. They found many customers both in Poland and abroad,
especially in the vast Russian Empire where Warsaw wares could be exported without customs or tariff
barriers. It should be noted that gold- and silversmiths working on their own according to the traditional
guild system still continued to ply their trade. Some obtained concessions without having to pass the
examination customarily required of apprentices. This concerned Jewish gold- and silversmiths who were
mainly engaged in making liturgical objects, such as Hanukkah lamps, spice boxes, Seder cups, Sabbath
candleholders, menorahs and Torah crowns. The latter objects did not represent a high artistic standard;
partly wrought by hand, partly assembled from stamped elements of thin silver sheet, they were usually
richly adorned with filigree in Neo-Baroque motifs of flowers, lions, stag, eagles and peacocks as symbols
of strength, speed, endurance and beauty. Art Nouveau first appeared in the work of Warsaw gold- and
silversmiths shortly before the year 1900. Artists were asked to cooperate, but the softly undulating,
intertwining style of their designs proved more effective in casts of various alloys such as bronze or pewter
rather than silver. Warsaw silverware from the time of the Duchy of Warsaw up to the middle of the
century, bears various makers' signs: full name or only initials, stamp of a workshop, the number '12'
denoting the fineness of silver and the word 'Warsaw' or 'in Warsaw'. In the latter half of the century,
following the opening of the Central Assay Office attached to the Warsaw Mint, the hallmark was stamped
on silver objects, with the tester's initials, date and fineness of the silver — '84', '88', or '91' — and the
two-headed Russian eagle. Until then the fineness of silver was measured in ounces, and now the Russian
iglotnikh was introduced according to which pure silver had a '96' mark of fineness.
In Cracow, which following the third partition in 1795 was incorporated in Austria, an assay office
was opened in 1796 in connection with purchases of gold and silver for the Vienna Mint. In 1806—07
strict fiscal regulations were introduced in the whole Austrian partition zone: all objects of gold and
silver in the possession of private citizens and Church institutions had to be presented for reassaying,
against a high fee. Since many people could not afford to pay the fee, a large number of national heirlooms
had to be sold and went into the melting pot of the Austrian Mint. New regulations were adopted and
remained in force throughout the period when Cracow was a Free City, from 181 5 till 1848, with the
result that the standard of gold- and silversmiths' work in that city improved to a considerable extent,
thanks to such renowned masters as Stanislaw Westfalewicz (active in 18.21—42) and Leonard Nitsch
(active in 1835—66). They made table silver of every kind, candlesticks, rings and liturgical vessels,
particularly chalices. Their style, derived from the French Empire and later the Biedermeier, generally
speaking did not differ from that which predominated in Vienna, Prague and Warsaw. Filigree silver
baskets in the Biedermeier style were very fashionable in Cracow. During the year of revolutions in
1848, Cracow lost its status of a free-city and was reincorporated with Austria. Consequently, the assay
system binding in Austria was extended to Cracow also. The figure '13' (13 ounces) became the mark of
standard quality silver, followed by the date and symbol 'E' for the city of Cracow. Silver objects made
in provincial towns supervised by the Cracow Assay Office were marked the same way, the symbol being:
'E 1' for Biala, 'E 2' for Bochnia, 'E 3' for Tarnow, 'E 4' for Rzeszow and 'E 5' for Nowy S^cz. In
that period, silver made in Lvov was marked with the symbol 'D'. In the latter half of the 19th century,
historical styles were dominant in the work of Cracow gold- and silversmiths. Following Warsaw's
example, factory methods of production were introduced. Industrial manufacture of silver-plated
objects, mostly Louis Seize tableware, was opened in Cracow by Eugeniusz Kleiiz (1 86 1 —191 5). At the
same time, however, there were still gold- and silversmiths of great talent and ambition, real masters in
their art working in Cracow. One of them was Wladyslaw Glixelli (active in 1884—95) who made
a crown for the Miraculous Picture of Our Lady of the Sands, according to a drawing by Jan Matejko,
and a rector's sceptre, modelled on the 1 5 th century sceptre of Cardinal Olesnicki, for Stanislaw Tarnowski.
Another was Jozef Hakowski (1834—94) who specialized in reproducing on silver plaques Jan Matejko's
paintings, for example Sobieski at Vienna, and Kosciusifco at Raciawice, and who also made chalices with
finely wrought allegorical and patriotic figures and symbols. During the Austrian occupation Lvov remained