Click on
Thumbnails
below

Description — clicking on underlined text brings up extra full size images of each piece

Stock number

George V napkin ring inscribed Alwyn Carr Omar Ramsden London 1914

A George V napkin ring with chased decoration made in London in 1914 by Omar Ramsden and Alwyn Carr. The personalised decoration reads "To dear kind William from friend John August 18th 1914".

Price: £1500.00

Omar Ramsden (1873-1939) and Alwyn Carr (1872-1940) had met at the Sheffield School of Art and moved to London entered into partnership towards the end of 1897 or early 1898. This napkin ring must have been one of the last items commissioned from Ramsden and Carr before the entry of Great Britain into the First World War on 8th August 1914 saw Carr enlist in the Artists Rifles. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in 1915, Lieutenant in 1917 and given the Honorary rank of Captain when he was invalided out in 1918. When he returned the partnership, run by Ramsden in his absence, had flourished comercially but had altered to the extent that Ramsden and Carr parted in 1919. Both men continued to work, although Carr's output appears to have been much smaller. The personal relationship between the men continued with Carr mentioning Ramsden in his will of 1938 as "Omar Ramsden...my friend and partner of so many years, my continuous affection and gratitude for all that I owe to him during our years together". Sadly there appears, so far, to be insufficient information to establish either the giver or recipient of this piece.

 


8589z

 

Elizabeth II silver-gilt oxidised salt cellar dragon pearl London 1982 HEctor Miller Aurum Prince William

An Elizabeth II silver-gilt and oxidised salt cellar (standing 6.8 cm high and weighing just over 6 Troy Ounces) in the form of a dragon holding a pearl and the dish formed as a shell made in London in 1982 by Hector Miller as part of his Aurum range (it is number 47 of a limited edition of 250)

Price: £750.00

This salt cellar was made to celebrate the birth of the William, Prince of Wales, who was born second in line to the throne. The shell can be seen to represent part of the Spencer arms of his mother, Princess Diana.

 

9204
Elizabeth II serving slice London 1990 Michael Allen Bolton

An Elizabeth II serving slice with simulated leather handle made in London in 1990 by Michael Allen Bolton.

Price:SOLD

Michael Allen Bolton (1938-2005) was an entirely self taught silversmith. Having been refused a place at art college, due to a perceived lack of aptitude, Bolton worked as a clerk for a shipping company and then for American Express. However in 1969, following the sale of American Express, Bolton was offered a new contract or £350 redundancy. Having started pottery classes Bolton took the £350 and took a part time position at the Hammersmith School of Art. In 1970 he went to the Victoria and Albert Museum, to shelter from the rain, and saw the retrospective exhibition of the jewellery made by Gerda Flockinger (b. 1927). This had such a profound effect on Bolton that, having purchased Pitman's Silver Work and Silver Soldering, he taught himself to make jewellery and silver objects.

In 1975 Michael gave up his teaching post and exhibited at 'Loot' at Goldsmiths' Hall. Fellow silversmith Martyn Pugh recalled that Michael 'loved beating hell out of silver'. Bolton went on to receive many commissions- an early example being the 1979 Court Cup made for Sir Anthony Touche, recently appointed to the Court of the Goldsmiths' Company, which is twice the allowed size. A comment was made that this 'was in proportion to Sir Anthony's height and Bolton's bulk'. Bolton moved to Wittersham in Kent in 1982 and then Cornwall in the late 1990s.

Michael Bolton's focus on handworking was unusual. He told two customers at the Basle Watch, Clock and Jewellery Fair that the only machine he possessed was a polisher. On this not being believed Michael's response was 'Short of saying to you come to my workshop for a week and watch the raw metal turn into an object I do not know what to say to you'. The response to this was 'If you are telling the truth, you will kill yourself as there is too much heart in your work'. Bolton's response- 'No, you are wrong. It is because there is so much of my heart that made you stop and talk to me.'

8915
George V dish Omar Ramsden Alwyn Carr London 1919 Artists Rifles

A George V circular dish (10.4 cm in diameter) with the crest of the Artists Rifles, by Omar Ramsden and Alwyn Carr, London 1919.
Price:SOLD

Omar Ramsden and Alwyn Carr began their business partnership in 1897 or 1898. In 1914, Carr enlisted in the Artists' Rifles and gained his officer's commission in March 1915. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant and Lieutenant in France until 1917 when he was gazetted a Captain. In July 1918 he was invalided out, with his Captaincy, and returned to London. Sadly, the partnership with Ramsden did not long survive Carr's return and was formally dissolved in the Spring of 1919.

7011

 

Elizabeth II punch soup ladle London 1988 Wakely Wheeler lion passant

An Elizabeth II punch or soup ladle (30.6 cm long and weighing just over 6.5 Troy Ounces) with indented lion passant finial made in London in 1988 by Wakeley and Wheeler.

Price: £350.00

 

 

9221
Small serving fork

A small serving fork with geometric decoration, by Amy Sandheim London 1929 .
Price: £325.00

Amy Sandheim (1876-1958) was the wife of Julius Wolfe Sandheim, who had attended the Central School of Art and studied under William Steward, as had H. G. Murphy, . The Sandheim family had a shop at 130 High Street, Notting Hill from around 1915 and Amy Sandheim ceased production in 1939. Simon Moore notes of her that 'her spoon output is even more daring [than her jewellery] with diverse designs that conform to the continuing Arts and Crafts revival'.

6696
Elizabeth II dish Nayler Brothers London 1960 Payne Oxford Goldsmiths Company

An Elizabeth II silver dish with handle (approx. 6 1/2 inches long), made by Nayler Brothers in London in 1960 and retailed by Payne of Oxford. The centre is engraved with the arms of the Goldsmiths' Company of London.
Price: £275.00

This model was commissioned by leading retail goldsmiths Payne's of Oxford and designed as a serving dish. Payne's were among the first retail goldsmiths to forge prominent links with the silversmiths of their day when Geoffrey, son of the head of the Oxford branch of the family, worked in the studio of Omar Ramsden and Alwyn Carr. The firm are still the leading company promoting the work of modern silversmiths.

The arms on this dish are those of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' (founded in 1327) of which Peter Payne (1923-2017) was a liveryman.

8152
Graham Stewart caged end spoon Edinburgh 1989

An Elizabeth II spoon with a 'caged end' containing a ball (reminiscent of a rattle) by Graham Stewart Edinburgh 1989 .
Price: £250.00

Graham Leishman Stewart (1955-2020) was the son of William Morrice Stewart, an industrial designer with a keen interest in silversmithing. When William Morrice Stewart taught a local silversmithing course, having attended it under the previous tutor, Graham would sometimes attend. By the time he left school his art master suggested applying to Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen and, following work experience with Fife based jeweller Norman Grant, was accepted.

In Stewart's penultimate year of his Art and Design Diploma (1976) he was a finalist in the young designer of the year competition and he came to the attention of leading silversmith and engraver Malcolm Appleby, who asked Stewart to help him at weekends.

During the 1980s Stewart's reputation spread and from 1986 to 2018 he was a regular exhibitor at Goldsmiths' Fair in London. He also received many commissions from quaichs and maces to a Bishop's crozier. In 2003 Stewart was one of the three silversmiths invited to compete for the commission to create a modern version of Three Honours of Scotland- a competition he went on to win. The Queen presented these to the Scottish parliament when it opened in 2004. Another high profile commission was to be part of The Silver of the Stars, which paired a Scottish celebrity with a renowned silversmith. Stewart worked with Alexander McQueen to produce an absinthe goblet and spoon that were exhibited all over the world. Like the goblet and spoon Stewart's Mobius bowl was widely travelled- in this case from St. Petersburg to Kyoto (a round trip of 3/4 million miles).

7759
Elizabeth II paperknife boxed Sheffield 1953 Henry Atkins

An Elizabeth II paperknife in the form of a sword commemorating the Coronation of Elizabeth II in the original case with retailer's mark of Birch & Gaydon of 153 Fenchurch Street, London. The knife is decorated on both sides (with National symbols on both the back and the front of the handle) and was assayed in Sheffield in 1953 by Henry Atkins.

Price: £245.00

 

 

 

 

8966
 Ladle A modern silver ladle, by Hilary Norman (of Wellington, Somerset) London 1972 .
Price: £245.00
6493
 Salt cellar

A circular salt-cellar with photo-etched decoration including the arms of the Goldsmiths' Company of London, designed by Alex Styles and manufactured by Naylor Brothers London 1977.
Price:SOLD

Alex Styles (b. 1922) was chief designer for Garrards and their subsidiary Nayler Brothers. In 1977, he designed this salt cellar for the Goldsmiths' Company to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the original charter of the Company and the Silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. 244 of these salts were made for presentation to the Livery of the Goldsmiths' Company and their senior staff (one being presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1978 by Charles Oman).

5773
3 Elizabeth II spoons Australian Lyre bird opal Flynn silver

Three Elizabeth II spoons modelled after the 'Australian Lyre bird' and set with opals made in Kyneton, Western Australia by Flynn Silver (all contained in a box produced by the firm containing a history of the firm and explanation of the design), 2nd half of the 20th century.
Price: £225.00

The marks on these spoons are Stg silver and a 'small celtic cross' for Flynn Silver of Kyneton, Western Australia. The firm was founded by Dan Flynn (1910-1978) and is still operated by his two sons, Dan and John. The work of this firm can be found at Buckingham Palace (as well as other Royal collections), the White House and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1981 pieces of their work were presented to 'distinguished people overseas and at home by the Commonwealth and State Governments including gifts to all the visiting Heads of State attending the [Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in] Melbourne in 1981. In 2019, among many other sporting contracts, Flynn Silver were the first firm outside America to be commissioned to make the President's Cup for the PGA golf tour.

8239

Elizabeth II Hanoverian pattern slotted serving spoon Sheffield 1957 Mappin Webb

An Elizabeth II Hanoverian pattern silver serving spoon with a slot pierced bowl assayed in Sheffield in 1957 by Mappin and Webb.

Price: £220.00

 

 

9294
Elizabeth II pair spoons George Taylor Friend 1966

An Elizabeth II spoon with engraved bands, by George Taylor Friend London 1966 .
Price: £220.00

George Taylor Friend (1881-1969) taught metalwork at the Central School of Arts and Crafts between 1902 and 1947. The best known piece of silver associated with him is the Sea Beaker of 1933 (designed by Richard Gleadowe, made by H.G. Murphy and engraved by Friend) now in the Power House Museum in Sydney. Friend, however, is also known for his works on paper and exhibited at The Royal Academy of Art twenty three times between 1913 and 1960 (he also addressed the Art Worker's Guild and was a member of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society). He was also associated with Eric Gill and created the medal of Gill now in the National Portrait Gallery in London.

2 spoons available (both shown in photograph)

7269
Elizabeth II spoon heraldic finial Vanders London 1994 An Elizabeth II silver-gilt spoon (12.5 cm long) with cast heraldic finial, by C. J. Vander London 1994 (marked with the leopard's head in the bowl in the seventeenth century manner) .
Price: £175.00
7690
George V jam spoon enamel liberty Birmingham1935 A George V spoon with enamelled terminal by Liberty and Company Birmingham 1935 (carrying the Silver Jubilee mark).
Price: £175.00
7161
 Spoon

A spoon of Celtic design with stylised knot terminal, made in Edinburgh in 1956 by Norah Creswick (1883-1976)
Price: SOLD

Norah Creswick (1883-1976) registered her mark at Edinburgh Assay Office as an 'artist-jeweller' working from 20, Harrison Road. A variety of small silver and jewellery, often stone-set, can be found with her mark. She was the wife of the bronze worker and silversmith, Charles Creswick (1883-1965), himself the son of the sculptor, Benjamin Creswick (1856-1943). Norah shared the foundry workshop in Harrison Road with her husband and his partners, Jack Creswick (her brother-in-law), and William McDonald.

6560
Elizabeth II saltspoon Michael Bolton London 1996

An Elizabeth II saltspoon made in London in 1996 by Michael Alan Bolton.

Price: SOLD

Michael Allen Bolton (1938-2005) was an entirely self taught silversmith. Having been refused a place at art college, due to a perceived lack of aptitude, Bolton worked as a clerk for a shipping company and then for American Express. However in 1969, following the sale of American Express, Bolton was offered a new contract or £350 redundancy. Having started pottery classes Bolton took the £350 and took a part time position at the Hammersmith School of Art. In 1970 he went to the Victoria and Albert Museum, to shelter from the rain, and saw the retrospective exhibition of the jewellery made by Gerda Flockinger (b. 1927). This had such a profound effect on Bolton that, having purchased Pitman's Silver Work and Silver Soldering, he taught himself to make jewellery and silver objects. In 1975 Michael gave up his teaching post and exhibited at 'Loot' at Goldsmiths' Hall.

Fellow silversmith Martyn Pugh recalled that Michael 'loved beating hell out of silver'. Bolton went on to receive many commissions- an early example being the 1979 Court Cup made for Sir Anthony Touche, recently appointed to the Court of the Goldsmiths' Company, which is twice the allowed size. A comment was made that this 'was in proportion to Sir Anthony's height and Bolton's bulk'. Bolton moved to Wittersham in Kent in 1982 and then Cornwall in the late 1990s.Michael Bolton's focus on handworking was unusual. He told two customers at the Basle Watch, Clock and Jewellery Fair that the only machine he possessed was a polisher. On this not being believed Michael's response was 'Short of saying to you come to my workshop for a week and watch the raw metal turn into an object I do not know what to say to you'. The response to this was 'If you are telling the truth, you will kill yourself as there is too much heart in your work'. Bolton's response- 'No, you are wrong. It is because there is so much of my heart that made you stop and talk to me.'

 

 

 

8976

George VI condiment ladle nail finial Birmingham 1947 WLS

A George VI saltspoon of unusual length (13.3 cm) with nail finial made in Birmingham in 1947 by Walter Leonard Showell.

Price: £115.00

Walter Leonard Showell (1893-1949) registered his mark with the Birmingham Assay Office in 1931 and described himself as resident at 35 Clements Road, Birmingham and 'a student at Birmingham School of Art'. This would have brought him under the influence of Bernard Cuzner (head of the department of metalwork at the school from 1910 until 1942).

Shovell is recorded as a Turner working for a motorcycle engineer in the 1911 census and joined the Royal Air Force on September 11th 1914. It is to be assumed that he studied at the Birmingham School of Art after his military service. In his will (proved at £3,152 4s 6d for probate) he is recorded as living at 24 Sedgemere Road, Yardley.

 


9399
Elizabeth II spoon rat-tail London 1957 FY An Elizabeth II spoon with square terminal and a rat-tail bowl, by Francis Yeomanson London 1957 .
Price: £95.00
7162
Elizabeth II loving spoon Edinburgh 1993 Andrew Milne of Mull An Elizabeth II teaspoon or 'loving spoon' with a pierced stem and a heart shaped bowl, assayed in Edinburgh in 1993 by Angus John Milne of Salen Silver (based on the Island of Mull) .
Price: £58.00
7293
Elizabeth II Thistle finial teaspoon Glasgow 1958 Richard Alexander

A cased Elizabeth II teaspoon with thistle finial made in Glasgow in 1958 by Richard Alexander.

Price: SOLD

 

 

 

9026
Elizabeth II miniature ice tongs Tiffany circa 1970

An Elizabeth II pair of miniature ice or sugar tongs (4.7 cm long) made circa 1970 by Tiffany and Company of New York

Price: £55.00

 

8921