Antique Art Nouveau Bronze Card Tray Maiden Reading WMF Design 219 C Stamp for Sale

Antique Art Nouveau Bronze Card Tray Maiden Reading WMF Design 219 C Stamp For Sale

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Antique Art Nouveau Bronze Card Tray Maiden Reading WMF Design 219 C Stamp:
$499.99

IMPORTANT PROVENANCE NOTE:
This antique tray is an authentic turn-of-the-century period casting of the iconic 1906 WMF Model No. 219 design. As is common with period bronze castings that required extensive hand-filing to sit completely flat, there is no official corporate WMF factory ostrich stamp. Instead, this piece features a rare, crisp artisan workshop "C" hallmark stamped into the reverse handle recess, indicating it was cast and tracked by a registered independent period foundry. Please review all photos of the markings and reverse tooling before purchasing. Sold exactly as described.ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This solid bronze visiting card tray is an authentic piece from the height of the Art Nouveau movement, dating to circa 1890-1910.
The design is the iconic, highly documented 1906 model by the German manufacturer WMF, cataloged as Model No. 219. It beautifully captures the essence of the period, featuring a maiden with long, flowing hair and a detailed gown who is reclining while reading a book. The entire composition fluidly transitions into curved whiplash handles and stylized poppy blooms at the base.THE "C" STAMP AND HISTORIC FOUNDRY PROVENANCE:
What makes this specific piece stand out is the crisp, hand-stamped "C" monogram tucked safely inside a protected handle indent on the reverse side.
During the peak of the Art Nouveau era, major design houses like WMF regularly contracted casting work out to independent European art foundries to keep up with regional demand. While these independent foundries could not legally use WMF’s corporate ostrich trademark, they used their own proprietary workshop identifiers—like this distinct "C"—to track and register their work.MATERIAL, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND CONDITION:
This is a heavy, substantial piece of sand-cast bronze. The underside shows the extensive hand-tooling and cross-hatch file marks left by the craftsman who hand-finished it over a century ago.The tray has been gently cleaned to bring out the warm, golden tones of the bronze alloy. At the same time, the deep, dark patina within the hair, gown folds, and floral details has been carefully preserved to maintain its stunning dimensional depth. It is in excellent antique condition with no cracks, breaks, or repairs.DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT:
Length: Approximately 12 inches (see photos with tape measure).Weight: Substantial, solid brass at 3.4 lbs.SHIPPING AND SECURITY:
The tray will be packed securely with heavy, multi-layer padding to ensure safe delivery. It will ship fully insured, and signature confirmation will be required upon arrival. Related Items: