Further information about the topic Allan Scharff

At first sight, the simple and abstract method of operation of the designer Allan Scharff and Georg Jensen’s romantic, artistic and technically marked way of working are basically different. But these two indeed have the same source of inspiration - nature. Georg Jensen has always claimed that, since his early childhood, nature used to be and still is his greatest inspiration. His works underline this statement very clearly; just think of his cutlery with flower and fuchsia patterns and of the grape-like shape of his jewellery.

Scharff says. “Nature creates an abundance of shapes. It is the most fascinating textbook. The language of the nature is visible and direct.” Scharff’s works are dominated by birds and other natural shapes. Although these two artists start from the same source of inspiration, their creations look totally different in the end – the miracle of the creative genius.

At the age of 17, Allan Scharff started his professional career as apprentice at Georg Jensen’s studio. From 1963 to 1967 he trained there as silversmith. Scharff specialised in hollow-ware and his journeyman’s piece was a complicated mug that had been designed by Henning Koppel. Afterwards he continued studying and worked for the Hernig Art Museum as silversmith and for Hans Hansen as designer, before he restarted working for the Georg Jensen Silver Manufacture and designed jewellery, hollow-ware and clocks. Moreover, Allan Scharff also created ceramic and glass elements from the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, Orrefors and Holmegaard.

Today, Allan Scharff works from his studio in Copenhagen as designing silversmith.

He has been awarded several prizes, among others the World Crafts Council Europe Award in 1993 and the Bayerische Staatspreis in 1995.