In addition to having invented an alloy that drastically reduced the foundry production costs associated with making bronze, copper and brass, Danish designer and silversmith Just Andersen created sculptural furnishings, accessories and decor that are widely coveted and collectible today. Disko, an alloy made of lead, tin and antimony, shares characteristics with brass, and many of Andersen’s antique candle holders, vases and vessels and other decorative objects — produced in Art Nouveau, Scandinavian neoclassical and Art Deco styles — contain this material.
Growing up in Greenland, Andersen was originally a sculptor and painter. He moved to Copenhagen and attended the Royal Academy of Art and the School of Danish Crafts. At the latter, he studied under Jens Møller Jensen.
Andersen trained in silversmithing in Copenhagen with Mogens Ballin and with the revered Danish silver firm Peter Hertz. Working in Ballin’s workshop after it had changed hands when the founder’s wife fell ill during the early 1900s, Andersen sharpened and refined his skills. He completed unfinished projects of Ballin’s when he passed away in 1914, sometimes partnering with Jean Rene Gauguin in order to do so. Andersen opened Just Andersen Pewter in 1918, where he produced objects in silver and gold but also in pewter, bronze and his alloy, disko, which he named after Greenland’s Disko Bay.
Andersen created designs for Georg Jensen, Peter Hertz, A. Michelsen and other manufacturers. He opened showrooms in several cities including Berlin and Los Angeles. Andersen’s work is held in the collections of museums all over the world.
Find antique Just Andersen decorative objects, lighting and ceramics on 1stDibs.
Just Andersen Pewter Bowl Model 1830, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Pasadena, CA
Scalloped pewter bowl designed by Just Andersen, model 1830, Denmark. A refined and sculptural form with soft lobed edges and a shallow profile, characteristic of Andersen’s early mo...
Pewter
Ernst Svedbom Hammered Pewter Pedestal Bowl, Sweden, 1971
Located in Pasadena, CA
Handmade Swedish pewter bowl by Ernst Svedbom, dated 1971. The low, rounded vessel features a richly hammered surface and rests upon a decorative openwork pedestal base composed of r...
Pewter
Liberty & Co. Tudric Hand-Hammered Pewter Bowl, Model 01497, England, 1920s
By Tudric, Liberty & Co.
Located in Pasadena, CA
A substantial hand-hammered pewter bowl produced for Liberty & Co. under its celebrated Tudric line, model 01497, England, circa 1920s. The shallow oval basin is framed by a scu...
Pewter
Arne Erkers Pewter Dish, Model 2618, for Just Andersen, Denmark
Located in Pasadena, CA
Sculptural pewter dish designed by Swedish designer Arne Erkers for Just Andersen, Denmark, model 2618. The dish has a softly asymmetric, organic form with gently rounded edges and ...
Pewter
Christofle Gallia Modernist Silver-Plated Centerpiece Bowl, France
By Christofle
Located in Pasadena, CA
Sculptural silver-plated centerpiece bowl produced by Christofle for its Gallia collection in France during the mid-20th century. The bowl has an elongated, boat-like form with a sh...
Silver Plate
Just Andersen Pewter Double-Spout Vase, Model 1226, Denmark, Early 20th Century
Located in Pasadena, CA
Pewter vase designed by Just Andersen, model 1226, featuring a distinctive twin-spout form with flared, shell-like rims and a small loop handle. The rounded body sits on a stepped fo...
Pewter
Art Deco Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Pewter Bowl designed by Just Andersen in the 1920s. A beautiful piece for an exquisite table. * Oval pewter bowl on foot * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: 1239 * Year: 1918-1929 * ...
Pewter
Hammered Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Hammered Pewter Bowl made by Just Andersen in the early 1920s. A fine piece for a beautiful place. * Round bowl in hammered pewter * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: 54 * Year: 1918...
Pewter
Large Pedestal Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Large Pedestal Bowl in Hammered Pewter designed by Just Andersen in the early 1920s. * Pedestal bowl with curvy rim in hammered pewter * Designer: Just Andersen * Manufacture: Just...
Pewter
Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1930s, Denmark
By Just Andersen, GAB Guldsmedsaktiebolaget
Located in Værløse, DK
Pewter Bowl made by Just Andersen in 1930. An exquisite piece for a beautiful table. * A round pewter bowl on feet with flora ornaments * Designer: Just Andersen * Style: 8 * Manufa...
Pewter
Pedestal Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Pedestal Pewter Bowl designed by Just Andersen in the 1920s. A fine piece for a beautiful table. * Pedestal bowl in hammered pewter * Designer: Just Andersen * Year: 1918-1929 * Con...
Pewter
Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Art Deco Pewter Bowl designed by Just Andersen in the 1920s. * Round pewter pedestal bowl * Designer: Just Andersen * Manufacturer: Just Andersen * Style: 1535 * Period: 1918–1926 C...
Pewter
