Tane: London Design Festival

Tane: London Design Festival

The Tane Silver Collection designed by Bodo, exhibited at the prestigious Mallet Gallery on Dover Street during London Design Festival 2012.

During London's Design Festival in 2012, the prestigious Mallett Gallery on Dover Street provided a fitting venue for the exhibition of the Tane silverware collection. As a renowned antique dealer in London, originally established by a jeweller and silversmith, the gallery served as a poignant backdrop, seamlessly merging the realms of history and contemporary design. The exhibition garnered significant attention from esteemed publications such as the Financial Times' How to Spend It and the Daily Telegraph's Luxury, further enhancing Tane's reputation on an international scale.

Despite the brand's prestige, until 2014 Tane had not exhibited in Europe in decades and needed an injection of modernity to bring it firmly into the 21st century. Bodo implemented a new creative direction, honouring the company’s history whilst strengthening their presence in the contemporary marketplace.

Taking inspiration from their archives, he designed a substantial range of silver heritage pieces and introduced the brand to a wider material palette, using porcelain, stone and wood as well as silver. Bodo also directed product launch events in Paris, Munich and London, gaining greater global exposure for Tane and reviving their position as a silverware specialist known for its bold designs and flawless quality.

London Design festival 2012

tane x bodo sperlein

The company’s history is rich with cross-cultural links and interesting exchanges; during the 1960’s Tane’s work was collected by a glamorous following of celebrities and royalty, including Jackie Kennedy, Oscar de la Renta and Brigitte Bardot, whilst in the 70’s influential artists and architects were invited to design silver pieces, such as Mathias Goeritz and Leonora Carrington. The company also produced silverware for Tiffany for over 18 years, replicated the Louvre’s collection of Rococo silverware and in the early 90’s founded a school in Brittany, ensuring the future of silver craftsmanship in France.