During the Art Deco period wall ornaments were very much in demand including wall masks.  Although many wall masks were made in the UK by companies such as Cope, Beswick, Clarice Cliff and Crown Devon, very high quality pieces were made in Czechoslovakia and Austria by deco sculptors such as Goebel, Lorenzl, Royal Dux and Goldscheider.

The Goldscheider company in Austria produced pieces that are highly sought after today and can command high values.  During the 2nd World War Austria was under Nazi rule and the Goldscheider family, like all jewish families in occupied countries, were ordered to hand over their firms and possesions to the new regime.  The Goldscheider company, owned by Walter Goldscheider at that time,  was taken over by Joseph Schuster and renamed Wiener Manufaktur .

When Walter left Vienna in Austria his model list had reached around 8000 pieces.  As well as reproducing some of the existing models, Schuster created some new designs with the Made in Austria trademark changed to Made in Germany.  Models with a pre 8000 number that are marked Made in Germany are original Goldscheider designs but have been reproduced by Josef Schuster (although a few models after no. 8000 are marked Made in Austria).

In 1950 the Austrian government restored the Goldscheider company to Walter however, the factory's facilities were in a terrible condition and despite the best efforts of the family and staff, the company was liquidated in 1954.

Walter sold a few of the moulds together with trademark rights to Ernst & Christian Carstens from Lower Saxony in Germany.  the models with the Goldscheider mark and Made in West Germany were made and distributed by E. & C. Carstens.