Coaster Josef Hiffmann Wiener Werkstatte ca. 1906

In Josef Hoffmann’s work, metal objects hold a particularly prominent place. In 1903, he began designing simple tableware. His first designs for metal works, produced by the Wiener Werkstätte, followed almost immediately. Especially tableware and other practical everyday objects became highly popular and were manufactured for wider distribution. Starting around 1905/06, these objects were also made of silver, aligning with the luxurious furnishings of Vienna’s upper society.

The surface of the metals provided Hoffmann with a welcome space for ornamentation. Around 1905/06, Hoffmann increasingly turned to floral motifs: stylized leaves, flowers, and vines were used as repeating patterns. However, his characteristic geometric abstraction remained intact: the small-scale individual forms are highly stylized and often inscribed in repeating squares or rectangles.
Our bottle coaster features a pierced frieze of embossed “bumpy ivy”—a motif Hoffmann repeatedly used for various tableware items. The coaster stands as a testament to Hoffmann’s focus on ornamental design while maintaining handcrafted production methods.