Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik

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Wagenfeld cutlery designed by WMF.

WMF egg cups.

WMF (Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik AG) is a tableware manufacturer, founded in 1853 in Geislingen an der Steige, Germany, by the miller Daniel Straub and the brothers Schweizer. It was originally called Metallwarenfabrik Straub & Schweizer and was opened as a metal repairing workshop. Around 1900, they were the world's largest producer and exporter of household metalware, mainly in the Jugendstil, or Art Nouveau style. They are best known for the period of Albert Mayer, sculpter and designer, who was director of the WMF Art Studio from 1884 to 1914.

In 1880 it merged with another German company and became known as the Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik. In 1886, WMF took over the Polish metalware factory Plewkiewizc in Warsaw, which then became a subsidiary of WMF around 1900. During this period, the WMF employed over 3500 people. In 1900 they acquired Albert Köhler's famous Austrian metalwork company AK & CIE who produced and distributed WMF items under their mark to the Austria-Hungarian Market until about 1914. In 1905 WMF acquired Orivit AG, a company known for its Jugendstil pewter, followed a year later by the purchase of the Orion Kunstgewerbliche Metallwarenfabrik, another German metalware company. WMF continued to use the goods from the acquired companies on their own markets, and conversely, they produced and distributed their objects under their acquired companies brands.