Elisabeth Treskow was one of the first women in modern times to professionally practice the craft of goldsmithing. Recognized as one of the most outstanding jewelry artists of the 20th century, her name is closely associated with the rediscovery of the Etruscan granulation technique, which she masterfully incorporated into her work.

Born in Bochum, Elisabeth Treskow was the daughter of Max Treskow, a druggist, and his wife Hedwig. She attended the silversmith workshop in Hagen and the School of Arts and Crafts in Essen. From 1916 to 1917, she completed an apprenticeship in gold and silversmithing in Schwäbisch Gmünd and Munich. In 1918, she passed her journeyman examination under the Munich goldsmith Karl Rothmüller.

In 1919, Treskow established her own workshop in Bochum, relocating it in 1923 to the newly developed Essen district of Margarethenhöhe. Here, she collaborated with enamel artist Kurt Levy and bookbinder Frida Schoy. Treskow passed her master craftsman examination in 1924 before the Düsseldorf Chamber of Crafts. In 1927, she moved her workshop to the Werkhaus in Margarethenhöhe, where she worked alongside sculptor Will Lammert and printmaker Hermann Kätelhön. That same year, she likely traveled to Paris, where she was deeply inspired by Migration Period jewelry at the Musée Cluny. She also joined the German Werkbund in 1927.

In response to the Great Depression's impact in 1929-1930, Treskow turned to studying Etruscan metallurgy. She rediscovered and perfected the ancient granulation technique, involving the application of tiny gold granules to a metal surface without melting them. Although Munich goldsmith Johann Michael Wilm had experimented with this technique around 1919, it remained largely unknown. Treskow adopted granulation in the early 1930s, incorporating it into numerous jewelry pieces and promoting its technical and decorative potential through lectures and publications.

Treskow’s granulation work was heavily inspired by ancient art, archaeology, and classical literature. Her designs featured intricate motifs such as hunting friezes, mythological figures, flora, fauna, and zodiac symbols, often crafted without gemstones, relying instead on the natural radiance of gold.

Throughout the 1930s, Treskow created pieces for prestigious clients, including executives from Krupp and RWE, Essen's Mayor Hans Luther, Folkwang Museum director Ernst Gosebruch, and Marta Baedeker. Her artistic success was evident through awards from the Society for Goldsmiths' Art in Berlin and accolades such as the gold medal at the 1937 Paris World's Fair. In 1938, she became the first woman awarded the honorary ring of the Society for Goldsmiths' Art.

During World War II, Treskow relocated her workshop from Essen to Detmold in 1943. In 1948, August Hoff, director of the Cologne Schools of Art, appointed her head of the goldsmithing class. She remained in this role until her retirement in 1964, significantly influencing artistic and educational spheres. In 1956, she became the first German female goldsmith to be appointed a professor.

In 1948, Treskow gained acclaim in Cologne for the provisional restoration of the Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral. She also completed numerous ecclesiastical commissions, including a chasuble clasp for Cardinal Joseph Frings and various reliquaries, tabernacles, chalices, bishop's staffs, pectorals, and rings. In 1949, she designed the Meisterschale, the championship trophy of the German Football Association, and in 1955, the ornate mayoral chain of Cologne.

Treskow's jewelry was highly sought after by prominent Rhineland families, such as the Werhahns from Neuss. By the late 1940s, she had amassed a vast collection of gemstones, crafting floral-inspired pendants, brooches, and bouquets without descending into mere jewelry craftsmanship. She valued personal connections with her clients, ensuring each piece was uniquely designed.

To meet growing demand in the 1950s, Treskow began integrating ancient carved stones and coins into her creations, inspired by the restoration of the Shrine of the Three Kings. Her work consistently drew inspiration from antiquity and medieval Christian art.

In 1971, Treskow retired to a senior residence in Brühl but continued designing jewelry, realized by her students such as Christa Bauer and Fritz Deutsch. A retrospective of her work was held at the Museum of Applied Arts in Cologne in 1991. (hs)