Argentor-Werke RUST & HETZEL | 550

Argentor's origins date back to 1863 when Carl Adalbert Münchmeyer and Ernst Rust founded C.A. Münchmeyer & Co. The company initially specialized in silver and gold-plating metal objects through a galvanic process. Factories were established in Berlin, Vienna, and Paris, with each location managed by different members of the founding team, including Münchmeyer in Berlin, and Rust and Hetzel in Vienna.

In 1902, the company restructured and was renamed Argentor-Werke Rust & Hetzel, under the management of Georg Ferdinand Rust and Adolf Wilhelm Hetzel. The company became one of the most prominent manufacturers of metalware within the Viennese Art Nouveau movement. Their production included not only silver cutlery, bowls, centerpieces, and tea and coffee services, but also home furnishings such as frames, clocks, electric lamps, vases, and flower holders.

Argentor was particularly renowned for creating frames to mount iridescent glass vases from the famous Johan Loetz glass factory, further cementing its status in the Art Nouveau scene. The company enjoyed significant success, exporting hundreds of models worldwide and becoming an official supplier to the Austro-Hungarian Imperial House. Branches were also established in Budapest and Brno.

Despite surviving the challenges of World War II, Argentor continued to face financial difficulties, which ultimately led to its closure in 1970.