Attributed to the Royal and Imperial court cabinet maker H. Irmler in Vienna, end of the 19th century. A double-wing oak frame and panel door, carved in high relief with female heads and flowers and shells, with high quality wrought iron lattice panels with floral and geometric patterning – these signed “A. Nehr”. One door wing with door in door function (no hinges). Full size ca. 326 x 245 cm, door measurements ca. 220 x 70 cm. The locks and hinges as well as the latch missing; some wood parts in the frame replaced in the course of a professional general restoration. In restored condition. (DOC)

Heinrich Irmler (1839 – 1914), who had responsibility for the furnishings of the Natural History Museum, the Parliament building, the Palace of Justice, the town hall, as well as the University of Vienna, was one of the founder members of the Viennese Association of Arts and Crafts, who derived great benefit in in his promotion of the Arts and Crafts; he was the Royal and Imperial court cabinet maker (Court calendar 1899). Alexander Nehr (1855–1928) was an artist metalworker and worked from 1873 in Vienna as assistant in the great metalworking shops, which were involved with work on the gates of the Burgtheater, the Rotunde and the gates of the French embassy. In 1882, he made the Rathausmann, after a model of the suit of armour of Emperor Maximilian I, using 4mm copper sheeting, which he worked in individual pieces and riveted to a tin-plated frame, and in 6 months created the 3.40m figure (1800kg), which was a gift from the master metalworker Wilhelm Ludwig to the municipality of Vienna for the tower of the newly built town hall. In 1882 Nehr opened his own workshop, where numerous further iron works were produced. Amongst other things he worked on the Neue Hofburg, the Belvedere, Augarten-Palais and many churches. At the Paris World Fair in 1900 he was awarded the gold medal for his work on the giant entrance gate of the Austrian pavilion.