Introduction
Simplicity, Beauty, and Craftsmanship. If any three words can be used to describe Georg Jensen, it must be these three. This Danish silversmith has been at the front lines of artistic design for over a century, and shows no signs of slowing down. Jensen designs are renowned throughout the world, and are often instantly recognizable for their quality. This is no coincidence of fate, but rather a just and deserved place of honor for the design brand. Georg Jensen silver, therefore, has an important place in auctions and on the secondary market. Nest Egg Auctions, as an auction house with a specialty in silver and jewelry, is one of the premier places to sell Georg Jensen at auction.
History
Georg Jensen was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1904. Its founder, the eponymous Georg Jensen (1866 – 1935), was an artist and goldsmith. Jensen desired to create a firm to create his designs in silver. His vision, drawing from the natural world and celebrating the act of making, was unique at the time. As contemporaries in Europe, like members of the Bauhaus, began to preach the Machine Aesthetic, Jensen’s designs spoke of something simpler, a Nature-focused design. This design aesthetic was massively influential on the development of “Scandinavian Design”, among the most popular design trends of the 20th and 21st centuries.
While Jensen brought in artists and artisans from around the world, and these contributed to the brand’s image and product lines, Jensen’s ethos was ever lost. Good craftsmanship and simple design are the rule rather than the exception. By his death in 1935, Jensen was considered a true master of his craft. Since Jensen’s passing, his company has continued to grow and his firm lives on.
Jensen Products
While Georg Jensen trained as a goldsmith and some Jensen products are made of gold, the firm primarily works in sterling silver. Two main types of products predominate: jewelry and dining items. Both types of objects express the design principles of Georg Jensen himself, drawing on the natural world for inspiration. Flowers and other plants are the most common, with many Jensen designs drawing on these for major elements of overall design. Insects and other animals, while more rare, are not totally uncommon in Jensen products, especially jewelry. In addition, geometric motifs are commonly found, with shapes and lines being major aspects of the Jensen style.
The other side of Jensen products, however, is the highlighting of the signs of making. Georg Jensen preferred to show the hammer marks and other marks to show that the object being worn or used was crafted by human hands. This adds a dimension of humanity to the piece itself, rather than being an overrefined or machine-made product. This is something that people gravitate towards, as we can read emotion, feeling, and thought into it. Someone else, a master of their craft, formed this object which now sits on my table. Georg Jensen understood this dimension of the human psyche, and thus highlighted the signs of making in the products that he and his company made.
Georg Jensen at Nest Egg Auctions
Given the popularity of Jensen, the firm’s jewelry and table wares are always great sellers at our auctions. We have sold a variety of pieces, from necklaces, rings, and earrings to bowls, cups, and salt and pepper shakers. Each piece we have sold was a testament to the quality and style of Georg Jensen, and each brought a handsome price.
Selling Georg Jensen at Nest Egg Auctions
