Wiener Werkstätte
Founded in 1897 by a group of artists and designers originally until The Wiener Werkstätte was officially started by Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser in Vienna Austria in 1903 along with the influence of Fritz Waeendorfer. This cooperation was productive and artists, jewelers, designers and others wanted to be on site for the creativity. This expansion meant that they outgrew their original site in months and moved to Neustiftgassse to a large three-story facility. This expansion accommodated not only jewelry, but bookbinding, leatherwork, woodwork, lacquer work as well as architectural work. The new building meant clean well-lit workshops and provided good healthy conditions for the craftsmen. More space meant more artisans which Josef Hossfeld and Eugen Pflaumer both master metalworkers began working with others soon following. The communal type building space meant less focus was on large diamonds or important colored stones but more on craftsmanship and design. By 1905 there were over 100 employees and 35 were masters. The company expanded in 1909 and 1910 and pulled through the first World War. The market crash of 1929 hurt the company and by 1932 they declared bankruptcy.
