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.
Pair of Just Andersen Organic-Form Pewter Dishes, Model 2575/14, Denmark, 1930s
By Just Andersen
Located in Pasadena, CA
Pair of organic-form dishes designed by Just Andersen and executed in pewter. Each features a softly contoured, three-sided silhouette with a broad, gently raised rim accented by res...
Pewter
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
Just Andersen Ribbed Pewter Vase, Model 2286, Denmark, Early 20th Century
By Just Andersen
Located in Pasadena, CA
Pewter vase by Just Andersen, Denmark, model 2286, featuring a ribbed, bulbous body with a stepped flared rim and small twin loop handles at the neck. The vertically fluted form cre...
Pewter
R&Y Augousti Shagreen and Bronze Bowl, Paris
Located in Pasadena, CA
Shagreen and bronze bowl by R&Y Augousti, Paris, featuring a softly faceted organic form with a subtly irregular rim. The interior is clad in richly textured black shagreen, offerin...
Bronze
Just Andersen “Disko Metal” Figural Dish, Model D63, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Pasadena, CA
Sculptural figural dish designed by Just Andersen in Denmark, executed in his signature “Disko metal.” This example, model D63, features a seated female nude rising from a fluted cir...
Pewter
Set of Four Just Andersen Organic Pewter Dishes, Model 2575, Denmark, 1930s
By Just Andersen
Located in Pasadena, CA
Set of four organic-form dishes designed by Just Andersen and executed in pewter, each featuring a softly contoured, three-sided silhouette with gently rounded edges and subtle linea...
Pewter
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. * Pewter bowl * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: 154 * Year: 1918-1929 * Condition: G...
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
Pedestal Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1930s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Pedestal Pewter Bowl with lugs made by Just Andersen in 1939. An elegant piece for a beautiful space. * Oval pewter bowl on foot * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: 2153 * Year: 19...
Pewter
Oval Pewter Bowl made by Just Andersen, 1930s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Oval Pewter Bowl made by Just Andersen in the early 1930s. A fine piece for a beautiful spot. * Oval pewter ball with with curved edges and lugs * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: ...
Pewter
Large Pewter Bowl by Just Andersen, 1920s, Denmark
By Just Andersen
Located in Værløse, DK
Substantial Pewter bowl made by Just Andersen in 1929. An exquisite centerpiece for a beautiful place. * A round Pewter bowl with flower ornaments * Designer: Just Andersen * Model:...
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 beautiful piece for an exquisite place. * Pewter bowl on foot * Designer: Just Andersen * Model: 1305 * Year: 1918-19...
Pewter
