Lot 203 Dα

The two Berlin-born craftsmen Christian Gottlieb Werner (c. 1751 - 1831) and Gottfried Mieth (c. 1761 - c. 1834) started out in the Royal Porcelain Manufactory as modellers and embossers. In 1791 they went into business for themselves with the idea of a "Bronze und Kunstsachen Fabrik" (bronze and art objects factory) and founded a partnership together with the master brass caster Friedrich Luckau jun. The workshop was located in Leipziger Strasse, and in 1801 they moved into a building in Jägerstrasse. Their high quality products were aimed at a wealthy international aristocratic clientele.
The company was organised according to the English model of division of labour, with cost-efficient pre-production of individual parts. The focus was on contemporary design that was to be clearly distinguished from traditional lighting fixtures. Their customers could order from catalogues or commission individual pieces. Werner & Mieth became known for their unique designs for the Prussian court, which were produced at the beginning of their career. Wilhelmine von Lichtenau, the mistress of King Frederick William II, had already ordered chandeliers and bronzes in the spring of 1793 and introduced the two entrepreneurs to court. This was followed by commissions for the royal palaces on Unter den Linden and the winter chambers in Charlottenburg Palace. Werner & Mieth were later able to recruit Karl Friedrich Schinkel as a designer and eventually maintained warehouses in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Breslau and London, and even delivered to St. Petersburg.

We would like to thank Mr Frank C. Möller, Hamburg, for his expertise.