"Berthold Hoffmann", Founder, Designer, Producer
"It all started with a course in gold and silversmithing at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg. Through my exchange with my professor Erhard Hössle, I was able to develop my understanding of design and functionality. Learning and mastering the craft techniques of metalworking enables me to immediately implement my design ideas into sculptural objects of everyday culture. As a result of a development, the individual, small-scale production of cast iron cooking equipment under the label "HOFFMANN-METALLGEFÄSSE" is my main focus. A continuous learning process takes place through technical innovations and new tasks."
HOFFMANN-METALLGEFÄSSE (Hoffmann-metal-vessels) a text by Juliane Becker about my work
Function is combined with timeless beauty: in his Nuremberg studio, Berthold Hoffmann uses cast iron and sterling silver to produce cooking utensils and tableware that impress with their archaic design and outlast the centuries thanks to their excellent workmanship. Since 1985, the trained silversmith has specialized in utensils that impress with their minimalist lines and expressive contours.
"The shape is the actual decorative element," says Hoffmann - which is why he consciously avoids short-lived trends in the design of his products and instead focuses on clear shapes that are not subject to current fashion.
At Hoffmann, high quality "Made in Germany" goes hand in hand with European and Asian design influences.
His cast iron range includes pots, pans and bowls as well as grills and planters. The award-winning fondue set "Konus" won him the German Design Award in 2016. For Hoffmann, iron is an "extremely expressive material" that, in addition to optimal heat storage and conductivity, is particularly impressive due to its durability: "Basically, I can give a lifetime guarantee on it." The cast iron, which is originally grey in its unalloyed form, gets its matte black colour from firing with linseed oil and can even be used on induction hobs without any problems.
The sterling silver tableware is a little more delicate but still simple, combining the shine of the precious metal with the velvety beauty of ebony in the form of sugar bowls and teapots, for example.
The products from Hoffmann's one-man factory merge art and craftsmanship perfected over decades in a unique symbiosis and thus become everyday tools that can be passed on from generation to generation.
