Silver objects from Art Deco & Art Nouveau – elegant collector's items
Silver-plated warming bowl/children's plate, probably Germany, circa 1920
Rare silver-plated warming bowl, presumably used as a children's plate. The centrally located screw-top lid is both a functional and decorative element. It was used to fill with hot water to keep food warm.
The round, profiled shape with two side handles featuring ornamental ribs is designed in the Art Deco style.
Warming plates/children's bowls with hot water filling, also known as chauffe-plat enfant, are primarily documented in Germany and France between 1900 and 1930.
However, the style of the plate—its clear round shape, geometric divisions, screw-on lid, and profiled handles—strongly suggests a German origin around 1915–1925, likely from the circle of WMF (Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik) or Orion Metallwarenfabrik, both leading manufacturers of silver-plated tableware. The machine-stamped design and the functional screw system indicate industrial mass production.
A beautifully designed example of the combination of functionality, metalwork, and refined table culture in the interwar period.
