Art Nouveau Woman with Flowing Hair

This silverplated Art Nouveau inkstand features the profile of a woman whose hair flows around the entire inkstand. Embossed in the middle is a rising sun. The inkwell has a hinged lid in the form of a flower.

The piece is marked: AS WMFB

The AS stands for “Alpacca Silber”. Alpacca (also spelled as Alpaca or Alpacca) is a term used for a base metal alloy that resembles silver. It was commonly used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for making silver-plated items. Alpacca typically consists of a blend of copper, nickel, and zinc. The alloy’s composition varies, but it aims to mimic the appearance of silver without the cost associated with solid silver.

WMFB: Württembergishe Metallwarenfabrik (Wurtemberg Metal Factory). The “B” describes the base metal used in making the piece. In this case “B” stands for “Brittania”, an alloy containing tin.

Information about WMF marks can be found at this link:

Marks of European Silver Plate: XIV: WMF (Hollow Ware and Trays): an article on ASCAS: Association of Small Collectors of Antique Silver website (ascasonline.org)