Carel Begeer

Following the death of his father he became director, while continuing his work as a designer. Begeer was a key figure in the development of modern Dutch silversmithing in the first half of the 20th century. Early in his career he experimented with translating 17th-century motifs by Adam van Vianen and Johannes Lutma into contemporary designs. Begeer’s interest in the history of silversmithing informed his critical outlook on the future of the craft. In 1926, he installed an ultramodern deep drawing press at the factory and developed a new style for mechanical mass production.