S.I.G. (?); M. Schmidt, Elektrotechn. u. Metallwarenfabrik (Wien VII/62)
Leather Product Box
circa 1938 (?)
This treasure is a personal find I made during a past trip to Vienna, unearthed from one of the stands in the overflowing and wonderfully thriving Naschmarkt. Despite my fruitless attempts in trying to discover more about its specific origin and history, it is nonetheless apparent that its creation took direct influence from the workings of the Wiener Werkstätte, even if the box was (though I am not certain) made some years after the movement’s official demise. The box’s outer corners and edges are slightly worn while its beige suède-like interior, embossed with the silver words (translated), Special manufactures/electric flashlights/Batteries and bulbs/Viennese lighters and S.I.G. (inset), is in near-perfect condition, save a bit of dust and surface imprint.
Its most beautiful aspect, however, is the decoration of its lid: similarly embossed with silver as its interior, it forms an entirely symmetrical design of stylised geometric clusters, with minute foliated dots, squares and trails of diamond-and-cog patterns delicately unfurling across the faded greenish-black leather face. Indeed, the aesthetics of this box share a strong affinity with those of a ring box designed by Josef Hoffmann himself (black leather with fine gold embossing, circa 1910), on which a similar string of diamond shapes runs the course of the lid’s edges, enclosing neatly the classic monogram of the Wiener Werkstätte (WW) at its centre. It is almost surprising, therefore, that for my own box such a quality design was made to store not, in fact, a jewellery piece, but rather a handy torch and a few spare lighters.
Its most beautiful aspect, however, is the decoration of its lid: similarly embossed with silver as its interior, it forms an entirely symmetrical design of stylised geometric clusters, with minute foliated dots, squares and trails of diamond-and-cog patterns delicately unfurling across the faded greenish-black leather face. Indeed, the aesthetics of this box share a strong affinity with those of a ring box designed by Josef Hoffmann himself (black leather with fine gold embossing, circa 1910), on which a similar string of diamond shapes runs the course of the lid’s edges, enclosing neatly the classic monogram of the Wiener Werkstätte (WW) at its centre. It is almost surprising, therefore, that for my own box such a quality design was made to store not, in fact, a jewellery piece, but rather a handy torch and a few spare lighters.
