Lockurn with Openwork Lid, Dansk Kunst Tinn, Denmark, 1920s

Lockurn with Openwork Lid
Dansk Kunst Tinn, Denmark, 1920s
Height about 22-26, diameter about 13-22 cm.
Tin (pewter); hand-hammered, engraved, openwork lid
This lidded vessel, produced by the Danish workshop Dansk Kunst Tinn, reflects the renewed interest in pewter as an artistic medium in Scandinavia during the early twentieth century. The urn is formed with a lobed, swelling body that tapers to a small circular foot, its surface finished with a fine hammered texture characteristic of hand-crafted tinwork of the period.
The lid incorporates pierced decoration arranged in a stylised foliate pattern and is topped by a small sculpted finial. The body bears engraved inscriptions, including a central dedication reading “VÄNNEN RICARD FRÅN KÄRLEKEN 1927”, accompanied by multiple signatures. These suggest the piece was presented as a commemorative or friendship gift.
Combining traditional metalworking techniques with a restrained decorative sensibility, the urn illustrates the workshop’s contribution to the Scandinavian Arts and Crafts movement and the broader revival of artisanal tinware in the 1920s.