OSIRIS Metallwarenfabrik für Kleinkunst Walter Scherf & Co. later ISIS

(1899-1909)

German Metalware production company

The OSIRIS Metallwarenfabrik für Kleinkunst Walter Scherf & Co was founded in 1899 in Nürnberg by father Friedich August Scherf (1839-1922) and son Walter Scherf (1875 –1909).

Walter Scherf had worked until 1899 at the another famous Jugendstil German metalware firm: ORIVIT. When he left he took some workers with him and some ideas.

From 1899 until 1909 the factory produced 1300 items. They outnumbered the bigger firm KAYSERZINN.

In 1902, The OSIRIS - Walter Scherf & Co developed a new sort pewter: the so-called “ISIS” metal.

They had won several prizes in Turin( 1902), the Gold medal of Konig-Ludwig Price (1902), the Gold medal in St Petersburg (1903/1904), the first and second prize in St. Louis, USA (1904), the Gold medal in Cape Town South Africa (1904/1905).

In the year 1906 they changed the name from OSIRIS to “ISIS Werke Gmbh. kunstgewerblicher Erzeugnisse”.

Because of bad management, the firm was almost bankrupt and, sadly, in 1909, Walter Scherf took his own life. That was the tragic end of “OSIRIS” –“ISIS”.

The designers of OSIRIS were:

Walter Scherf (1875 –1909) also art director
Friedrich ADLER (1878-1942)
Peter BEHRENS (1868 - 1940)
Joseph Maria OLBRICH (1867-1908)
Josef HOFFMANN (1870-1956)
Bruno Paul
Josef Wackerle
Hermann Gradl
Hermann Friling
Lorenz Hofelich
Richard Riemersmid

CLICK HERE to see our OSIRIS Collection items

Major works:

- Osiris Table Lamp 730 and 750 by Friedrich ADLER
- Osiris Peackock Vase OSIRIS" 636 by Walter Scherf (1900)
- Osiris basket
- Osiris candlestick


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