A rare Art Déco 835 grade silver lidded box Stuttgart circa 1936 by Erna Zarges-Dürr
A rare Art Déco 835 grade silver lidded box Stuttgart circa 1936 by Erna Zarges-Dürr

Erna Zarges-Dürr (1907-2002) was a German silversmith. She was professionally active Pforzheim, Leipzig, Berlin. and Stuttgart. 

Biography

Between 1924-27, she trained at Bruckmann und Söhne, Heilbronn, as the first women in the silversmiths’ department. From 1927, she studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule, Pforzheim, under Theodor Wende and others. 

Between 1931-33, she worked in the workshops of Ernst Treusch, Leipzig, and of H.Wilm, Berlin. In 1933 she set up her own work-shop in Heilbronn. Between 1936-39, she relocated to Stuttgart. Her work showed carefully worked out proportions with original, Modern ornamentation.

Silver, chased, soldered by Erna Dürr
Silver, chased, soldered by Erna Dürr
Schale, 1927, Erna Zarges-Dürr
Schale, 1927, Erna Zarges-Dürr

Recognition

She received numerous awards, including a gold medal for her 1932 silver wine jug shown at the 1937 Paris ‘Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne’. Her work was shown at international exhibitions

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.

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