Mantle Clock Josef Hoffmann Wiener Werkstätte 1903

The Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann was one of the founding members and main representatives of the Wiener Werkstätte.
This mantle clock is one of the earliest designs of the Wiener Werkstätte. It was produced only twice — in the founding year of the Wiener Werkstätte, 1903. The clock is remarkable not only for its rarity but also for its profound historical significance. The two examples, one in silver-plated copper and one in patinated copper, were sold to two prominent Viennese families from the close circle of Josef Hoffmann and the Wiener Werkstätte: the Kohn family and the Spitzer family.
Our example comes from the Spitzer family, for whom Hoffmann had already designed and furnished a house in the villa colony on the Hohe Warte in 1900. It was crafted from patinated copper and features finely chased and hammered details, with its original patina intact. The design is further elevated by eight alabaster columns (two of which have been carefully restored), an alpaca dial with enameled numerals, beveled and cut glass, and a capital adorned with a gemstone. Its first-class original condition underscores the exceptional craftsmanship of the Wiener Werkstätte.
In 1906, the clock gained international recognition when it was featured in “The Art-Revival in Austria”.