Breakfast set: masterpiece by August Teodor Werner

This historic, intricately decorated breakfast set is the only known masterpiece by a Warsaw goldsmith. A masterpiece is a work created by a journeyman aspiring to become a guild master—an item that can be considered a testament to the craftsman’s skill.

August Teodor Werner (1836–1902), the designer of this set, was the nephew of Karol Filip Malcz (1797–1867), one of Warsaw’s most distinguished master goldsmiths. He learned his trade in his uncle’s workshop and was groomed to succeed him. After several years, he embarked on a journey as an apprentice to Kraków, Vienna, and Paris, undoubtedly facing tall expectations, before eventually passing his master’s examination around 1860. He quickly found his place in a world where industry was replacing craftsmanship. Together with Ludwik Norblin, he successfully ran a plant that manufactured mass-market silverplate ware and limited editions of highly regarded silverware.

August Teodor Werner and Karol Filip Malcz
ca. 1860
silver, struck, repoussé, cast, chiseled, gilded, ivory
MHW 29507/1-5

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