Collecting Goldscheider Wall Masks – Decorative ceramic masks became fashionable in the 1920s as a way to add personality and style to a room. They were modelled on idealised faces and styles of the Art Deco period including short bobbed hair and fashionable headwear often in bold and jazzy colours. While they were initially popular among the wealthy, they soon became available to a wider range of people. We take a brief look at the history of wall masks and reference the fabulous range from the Goldscheider factory including variations on the same model number and some realised prices at auction to give an idea of value and worth.
Wall masks were made by many factories in Europe, principally Germany, Czechoslovakia and Austria. Among these factories the most famous was the Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory of Vienna. Goldscheider wall masks were made of a terracotta like clay and then hand painted and finally glazed. The different wall masks would have their model number impressed on the back.
Goldscheider Wall Masks Model Numbers
A few examples are listed below. Each shape could be painted in a number of ways and variations do occur.
Model no 7257 – Woman with short applied tightly curled hair holding a bunch of grapes
Model no 6911 – Woman with flowing hair with a large bow tie
Model no 6288 – The Tragedy wall mask modelled as a woman holding a theatre mask to her face. Her hair feature the hallmarked Goldscheider curls.
Model no 6859 – Woman with a tulip flower to the left side of her neck
Model no 7784 – Woman with long flowing hair and long scarf
About the Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory of Vienna
Friedrich Goldscheider founded the Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory in 1885 in Vienna, Austria. The company specialized in the production of high-quality porcelain figurines and tableware. Goldscheider often collaborated with leading artists of the day, including Otto Wagner and Josef Hoffmann, to create unique and original designs. In addition to its artistic merits, Goldscheider porcelain was also known for its technical excellence, with each piece being hand-painted and meticulously crafted.
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