Art Nouveau Dragonfly shallow dish decorated with brass inlay and Mother of Pearl by Erhard and Sohne

Art Nouveau Dragonfly shallow dish decorated with brass inlay and Mother of Pearl by Erhard and Sohne. The interior of the bowl shows a brass dragonfly with Mother of Pearl eyes inlaid into Rosewood and the figure is surrounded by a garland of leaves. The bowl stands on 3 brass feet and is marked to the back but the mark is rubbed. Wear commensurate with age but in excellent original condition. German circa 1910.

Erhard and Sohne was founded in 1844 by Carl Gottlieb Erhard and his two sons, Carl and Julius, in Schwäbisch Gmünd, about 50km east of Stuttgart in Baden-Wutttemberg, Germany. Carl Gottlieb Erhard, originally from Großheppach and the son of a priest, settled in Schwäbisch Gmünd after marrying into the Debler family. He initially became a partner at the firm Gerber & Co., which he acquired in 1843 for 100,000 guilders. The following year, he established Erhard & Söhne with the help of his sons. The company, which is still in operation today, remains one of the oldest family-run businesses in the city, now in its sixth generation.

Carl Gottlieb Erhard recognized a market opportunity in producing fire-gilded hardware, which was previously imported at high costs. To fill this gap, he recruited skilled craftsmen and ensured his sons received top-tier training in engraving and metalwork. Julius, the more creative of the two, focused on design, while Carl took on the commercial leadership. Erhard & Söhne quickly became a significant player in Schwäbisch Gmünd’s history, specializing in fashionable accessories made from brass and bronze, sometimes silver-plated or gilded.

Their finely crafted miniature pieces, including dollhouse furniture, became highly sought-after by collectors. Other popular products included bookbinding tools, buttons, and buckles. A major breakthrough came in 1904 when Erhard & Söhne patented a brass inlay manufacturing process.

Diameter 20 centimetres, height 4 centimetres.

Dimensions

Price

This object includes complimentary, Insured Shipping / Delivery within the UK

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Condition report