Walter Bosse Brass Hand Midcentury Ashtray by Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
View Similar Items
Walter Bosse Brass Hand Midcentury Ashtray by Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Herta Baller (Manufacturer),Walter Bosse (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 3 in (7.62 cm)Width: 5 in (12.7 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Vienna, AT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1015223394322
Walter Bosse
Credited with thousands of works and models for ceramic pieces, Walter Bosse was an intensely prolific designer. The modernist Austrian sculptor and ceramist was best known for his distinctive “Black Golden” series of decorative objects and figurines, particularly his hedgehog ashtrays. Bosse’s mid-century and Art Deco works were popular as gifts for politicians and royalty worldwide, remaining coveted among collectors today.
Bosse was born in Vienna in 1904 to artist parents — his father, Julius, was a portrait painter for the Austrian Imperial Court. Bosse studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1918 to 1921 under Austrian sculptor Michael Powolny and Austrian painter Franz Cizek. Later, he continued at the Munich School of Applied Arts in Germany under Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann, a founder of the Vienna Secession.
Early in his career, Bosse worked as a designer at several ceramics manufacturers, including Augarten Porcelain Works in 1924, Goldscheider Porcelain Manufactory and Majolica Factory in 1926 and Metzler and Ortloff in 1927. In 1925, Bosse displayed several pieces at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris, which introduced the Art Deco style to a global audience.
In 1931, Bosse opened a shop in Kufstein, Austria, selling ceramic gift items. Owing to the crippling economic effects of the Great Depression, however, Bosse was forced to close his shop in 1937. He returned to Vienna in 1938 and opened another business, Bosse Keramik, where he sold toys, glass, textiles and more. In the late 1940s, Bosse experimented with small-scale brass sculptures and desk accessories coated in black ceramic glaze. With Austrian designer Herta Baller, Bosse formed the Bosse-Baller company to manufacture the “Black Golden” line of figurines, which became wildly popular worldwide.
Despite Bosse’s success, he struggled financially and moved to Iserlohn, Germany, in 1953. Meanwhile, Baller continued to manufacture and sell Bosse’s designs, which were so popular that forgers copied and sold counterfeit editions of Bosse’s works around the world. The 1950s marked the debut of the artist’s whimsically zoomorphic hedgehog ashtrays — these were cast in brass, and a hedgehog ashtray in any other material is not a Bosse original.
Bosse spent the rest of his life embroiled in court battles to protect his designs, leaving him penniless by the time he died. Today authentic Bosse pieces — from wall-mounted sculptures to tableware — continue to be highly sought after by collectors.
Find vintage Walter Bosse serveware, wall decorations and more on 1stDibs.
- Walter Bosse Mid-Century Horse Brass Figurine, Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA lovely horse foal sculpture made of brass from the 1950s. Designed by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller. In very good condition with charming patina. We offer more Walter Bos...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Fish Midcentury Brass Ashtray or Bowl, Herta Baller, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA charming modernist bowl or ashtray in the shape of a fish. A very humorous design by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s. Made of brass, in excellent condi...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Fish Mid-Century Brass Bowl Ashtray Herta Baller, Austria, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA charming modernist brass bowl or ashtray in the shape of a fish. A humorous design by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s. Made of brass, in good condition...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
MaterialsBrass
$290 Sale Price39% OffFree Shipping - Walter Bosse Midcentury Cow Brass Figurine, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA little cow sculpture made of brass from the 1950s. Designed by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller. In good condition with charming patina on the brass.Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Midcentury Horse Brass Figurine, Herta Baller, Austria, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA lovely horse foal sculpture made of brass from the 1950s. Designed by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller. In good condition with charming patina. We offer more Walter Bosse br...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Asymmetrical Modernist Black Brass Ashtray by Herta Baller, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATA stylish modernist ashtray with amazing asymmetrical shape. Designed by Walter Bosse, executed by Hertha Baller Austria in the 1950s. Made of brass, in good condition with nice patina.Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Cat Crumbs Table Cleaning Set for Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Wien, ATWalter Bosse cat crumbs table cleaning set for Hertha Baller, Austria, 1950s Good original condition Broom dimensions : H 10.5cm W 1.5cm D 11cm Shovel: H 1.5cm W 12cm D 9....Category
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Desk Sets
MaterialsBrass
- Brass Table Bell by Walter Bosse for Hertha BallerBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATSolid brass blackened, designed by Walter Bosse produced by Hertha Baller in the 1950s.Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
- Walter Bosse Vintage Brass Hand Ashtray for Herta BallerBy Walter BosseLocated in Vienna, ATThis elegant and heavy ashtray by Walter Bosse for Herta Baller (Model 844) is an original Austrian Mid-Century piece of sculptural character. The object...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Ashtrays
MaterialsBrass
- Austrian Midcentury Golden Brass Dachshund Letter Opener by Walter BosseBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Vienna, ATThis charming Austrian Midcentury golden solid brass letter opener or paper knife has been designed by Walter Bosse and produced by Herta Baller in the 1950s. The dog features a long...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Letter Openers
MaterialsBrass
$717 Sale Price20% OffFree Shipping - Austrian Bronze Shaped Bowl by Hertha Ballers for Walter Bosse, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Delft, NLAustrian Bronze Shaped Bowl by Hertha Ballers for Walter Bosse, 1950s A bronze bowl signed by Hertha Ballers in small organic shaped form. Designed by Walter Bosse 1950s, Austria Th...Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Decorative Bowls
MaterialsBrass
- Walter Bosse Pencil Holder, 1950sBy Walter Bosse, Herta BallerLocated in Wien, ATWalter Bosse pencil holder, 1950s. Original condition. (Pencils not included, it is only for the photoshooting).Category
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern More Desk Accessories
MaterialsBrass
