Art Nouveau letter tray by WMF, 1886-1903.
WMF
WMF is the abbreviation for Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik. The history of the manufactory begins in 1880 after the merger of two Württemberg factories. The Geislingen plant belonged to Daniel Straub (Straub & Sohn) and the Esslingen plant belonged to Alfred Ritter (A. Ritter & Co.).
In 1881 the factory in Esslingen was dismantled and incorporated into the Geislingen foundry. Over the next thirty years, WMF experienced a period of rapid expansion that lasted until the start of the World War in 1914. In 1914, the number of employees in the Geislingen factory alone reached 3,500 people and WMF became the largest industrial producer in all of Württemberg.
The silver-plated WMF products in Art Nouveau, which were manufactured around 1900-1910, are very popular with antique collectors.
