A striking Dutch Art Deco hand-hammered pewter vase or pot, designed by Theodorus Hooft for GERO, Zeist, dating from the 1920s and marked GERO Holland. The design is beautifully reduced to an almost perfect spherical form, interrupted only by the small circular opening at the top. Its simplicity allows the hand-hammered surface to become the decoration itself. Hundreds of small facets catch and scatter the light, giving the metal a lively, shimmering appearance that changes continuously as the vase is viewed from different angles. Founded in Zeist in 1912, GERO became an important Dutch manufacturer of modern metalware. During the 1920s the company worked with designers and artists to give its products a more progressive appearance, resulting in pieces that clearly reflect the new vocabulary of Dutch Art Deco and the Amsterdam School. Designers associated with GERO included Chris van der Hoef, Georg Nilsson and Theodorus Hooft (1900–1990), who joined the company in 1918. Despite its small scale, this vase has a remarkably strong decorative presence. The combination of its pure geometric form and richly worked surface makes it particularly effective as a sculptural object in its own right. Original Dutch metalwork of this quality from the interwar period is increasingly difficult to find. A small but particularly distinctive piece of 1920s Dutch design, and an appealing object for a collection of Amsterdam School or Art Deco decorative arts. In good vintage condition with a couple of superficial dents Theodorus Hooft (1900–1990) GERO, Zeist, Netherlands Circa 1920s Hand-hammered pewter Marked GERO Holland Dimensions: H 11 × W 12 × D 12 cm H 4.3 × W 4.7 × D 4.7 in