[SILVER 0.800] Silver Spoon with a Snake-Shaped Handle, Władysław Z. Rogalski, Kraków, Poland, Second Polish Republic, Tableware, Everyday Life, Cutlery

Władysław Z. Rogalski, Kraków – silver teaspoon with a partially gilded bowl and decorative handle, Poland, Second Polish Republic, ca. 1931–1939, 3 (800/1000), 27 g
Poland, Kraków, Second Polish Republic period, ca. 1932–1939. Workshop of Władysław Z. Rogalski, a Kraków silversmith active during the interwar period. 800/1000 silver, gilded bowl. Weight: 27 g. Hammered, molded, and chased silver; elements joined by soldering.
A small decorative spoon with a deep, nearly hemispherical, oval bowl. Its interior is gilded; the gilding is well-preserved and contrasts with the light surface of the silver handle. The bowl is connected to the handle by a distinctive, forked yoke formed of two arched rods converging at a small round link. This design gives the object a light, decorative, and almost jewelry-like character.
The shank is slender and elongated, relatively straight in the middle section, and tapering toward the end into a large, elongated loop. Its surface is covered with a regular ornament in the form of a stylized snake.
On the outer side of the bowl, the Polish national hallmark is stamped: the number “3,” a woman’s head wearing a headscarf, and the letter “K.” The number 3 denotes 800/1000 silver, while the letter K indicates the Assay Office in Kraków.
Next to the hallmark is the maker’s mark, read as “WŁR”; in some catalogs and on pieces with a faint impression, it is also interpreted as “WIR.” This mark belongs to Władysław Z. Rogalski, a goldsmith active in Kraków during the interwar period. Both readings of this mark are found in the literature and auction catalogs; however, the initials referring to Władysław Rogalski should be considered the correct interpretation. Combining this personal hallmark with the Kraków assayer’s mark “3 – woman’s head – K” allows for a reliable attribution of the spoon to his workshop.
Władysław Z. Rogalski was part of the Kraków goldsmith community during the interwar period. His activity is documented from 1922 to 1939, and his workshop mark was registered with the Kraków assay office in the early 1930s. The workshop produced both utilitarian items and more decorative silver tableware, employing traditional goldsmithing techniques and ornamental designs in keeping with the tastes of the interwar period.
Condition: as shown in the photos.