Stuart devlin higher res

Published by ACC Art Books Ltd © 2017 Stuart Devlin World copyright reserved

CON T EN T S

ISBN: 978 185149 872 7

9 FOREWORD

The moral right of Stuart Devlin to be identified as the originator of the designs and owner of the photographs within this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

10 SILVER

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the permission granted to reproduce the copyright material in this book. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. Any errors or omissions are entirely unintentional and should be addressed to the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

122 CANDELABRA

CANDLESTICKS CENTREPIECES

172 COMMISSIONS 256 COINS

REGALIA AND MEDALS ART MEDALS

302

Editors: Carole Devlin and Victoria Kate Simkin Design concept: Stuart Devlin Book design: Andrew Milne Photography: Peter Parkinson, Bob Maurer Technical assistance: John Simkin Digital imaging: Pixave Colour separation: Stephen Mackinlay, ACC

JEWELLED SURPRISE EGGS CLOCKS OBJETS D’ART

338 JEWELLERY 376

LIMITED EDITION SILVER COMMEMORATIVE SILVER

414 FURNITURE 436 SCULPTURE 454 INNOVATIONS

COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN

Printed in Belgium for ACC Art Books Ltd., Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4SD, UK

480 HOUSES

www.accartbooks.com

498 BIOGRAPHY 528 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CON T EN T S 9 10

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FOREWORD SILVER

122

CANDELABRA CANDLESTICKS CENTREPIECES

172

COMMISSIONS

256

COINS REGALIA AND MEDALS ART MEDALS

302

JEWELLED SURPRISE EGGS CLOCKS OBJETS D’ART

338

JEWELLERY

376

LIMITED EDITION SILVER COMMEMORATIVE SILVER

414

FURNITURE

436

SCULPTURE

454

INNOVATIONS COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN

480

HOUSES

498

BIOGRAPHY

528

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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I always strive to create new forms

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SILVER A SE L E C T IO N

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1965

(right) 1966

Iced water pitcher, jigger and drink stirrer

Coffee service

Each piece is decorated with silver-gilt pebble-textured panels.

Devlin referred to this as his Turkish Coffee Service.

The design has a tall rosewood knob and handle with undulating grips. Included are some original sketches.

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(left) 1973

(upper) c.1975

(lower) c.1975

Small cigarette boxes and cube lighters

Cigarette box and cube lighter

Cigarette case

The silver, silver-gilt and oxidised boxes and cube lighters are boldly decorated with flowers on long stems, a leafy tree and petalled flowers.

Each piece is silver-gilt and has a rich, applied wavy texture.

The silver-gilt case is decorated with a carved texture, which radiates from a group of figures and curves over rounded edges.

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1973

Hand-raised punch bowl and goblets with hand-forged ladle The stems of the goblets are also hand-forged. Included are some original sketches.

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XXXX

Title of Piece Description text

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(upper and lower) Courtesy The Pearson Silver Collection, photograph Bill Burnett

(left) 1968

(upper and lower) 1969

Centrepiece

Centrepiece

This 18 in. centrepiece has a floating silver-gilt removable grid over a hand-raised polished silver bowl. The removable free-standing centre allows sixteen candles to fit into spring-loaded sockets, permitting numerous configurations.

This similar 16 in. piece has a silver-gilt bowl and central vertical candleholders, which can be replaced with an alternative large fluorite crystal, supported by radiating silver-gilt shafts.

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1976

Working drawings

Pair of eight-light candelabra, Apprentice’s Masterpiece

Stuart Devlin trained two draughtsmen with whom he worked for many years. Their working drawings show exact sizes and other details required in preparation for the craftsmen. The measurements are in inches.

Each 17 in. candelabrum stands on eight splayed, polished silver feet with a polished silver column and branches inset with silver-gilt filigree. The finials are each set with an amethyst crystal. Included is the working drawing.

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1965

Stuart Devlin and the University of Melbourne ceremonial mace, Australia Commissioned by the University of Melbourne

For further information see page 250

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1967

(right) 1967

Ceremonial mounted ship’s bell

Chichester Trophy after Sir Francis Chichester

Commissioned by the Society of Merchant Venturers

Commissioned by the 5th Duke of Westminster for presentation to the Royal Yacht Squadron

188

For further information (right) see page 251

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© The Wedgwood Museum

(opposite) 1987

(left) 1987

Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales sculpture

Stuart Devlin

Commissioned by Wedgwood Devlin’s bas-relief life-size sculpture

Photographed for the Wedgwood Review (right) 1987

Sculpture reduced in size on Wedgwood blue

For further information (left and above) see page 254

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1999

Millennium Dish, diameter: 30 in.

Commissioned by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths The rim of the silver and silver-gilt dish depicts 85 buildings within the City of London at the Millennium. They surround the undulating River Thames. In the centre is Devlin’s version of the Company’s coat of arms. The presentation drawing is held by his wife.

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You are more likely to generate significantly new ideas if you give your own brain first bite of the cherry. Do any research afterwards

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COINS REGALIA AND MEDALS ART MEDALS A S E L E CT ION

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COINS REGAL IA A ND ME DA L S ART MEDA L S

Australia’s decimal coinage In 1963 Stuart Devlin was approached by Joseph Burke, Professor of Fine Art at Melbourne University, to see if he would be interested in entering a limited competition to design Australia’s new decimal coinage. At that time Devlin thought that the competition was more to do with graphic design than three-dimensional design. He was on the verge of turning down the offer, when he discovered that the other competitors were four of Australia’s top graphic designers, along with a professional medallist. In addition, when he learnt that each designer was to receive a handsome fee, Devlin decided to accept the offer. He had nothing to lose and the project was in safe hands with the expertise of the other five competitors.

The competition was conducted in an unusual way. All the designers travelled monthly to Sydney to meet with three judges. Each applicant in turn was asked to put his or her work out to be criticised by everyone else around the table. In Devlin’s case his first efforts were poorly received and he flew back to Melbourne very despondent.

He then set about producing new designs based on Australia’s unique fauna for the next meeting and succeeded in devising a set of ideas that, with minor changes, eventually won the competition. A very good rapport developed between the six designers, so much so

1969 Replacement dodecagonal 50 cent coin: Its intrinsic value was reduced using 75% copper and 25% nickel. (actual size shown alongside)

that Devlin even carved the plasters for the one he thought was his strongest competitor.

He had learned the rudiments of working with plaster when the workshop in which he was teaching metal work in Melbourne was next door to the plastering workshop. He subsequently became one of the few coin designers with the skills to carve his own master patterns.

Stuart Devlin has said that this personal success was perhaps 25% due to his designs and 75% to the way the competition was run. Since then he has designed coins for in excess of 30 countries. He always remembers the day soon after he had made his final submission for the competition, having just caught a Melbourne tram, when Kim his American wife at the time, ran alongside shouting “jump off” so that she could give him the news that he had won!

The coins were released in February 1966 after a very successful national campaign.

A friend of Devlin’s, Elizabeth Lane of the Penguin Books family, remembers as a little girl the excitement of getting on the school bus that first day and receiving bright shiny coins with their creatures in her change.

Winning the competition transformed Stuart Devlin’s life.

1984 Australia’s 1 dollar coin: The design has dynamic views of five kangaroos. (actual size shown alongside)

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1966

Australia’s decimal coinage 1 cent: feathertail glider

The smallest of the gliding possums 2 cents: frilled-neck lizard

Depicted displaying its frill to discourage predators 5 cents: echidna

The echidna and the duck-billed platypus are the world’s only egg-laying mammals 10 cents: lyrebird

Known for the male’s superb tail plumage and for its ability to mimic sounds 20 cents: duck-billed platypus

Glides through water with the help of its distinctive rubbery snout and flattened head 50 cents: Australia’s coat of arms

Devlin’s version of the arms with a silver content of 80% (actual sizes of coins shown below)

1965

The national campaign: a jingle to the tune of “Click Go the Shears” “In come the dollars in come the cents to replace the pounds and the shillings and the pence.

Be prepared folks when the coins begin to mix on the 14th of February 1966.”

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© Russell Clisby

2000

Paralympic Games Sydney 2000 (upper) The winners’ medals (lower left) Tanni Grey-Thompson (now Baroness, DBE) with her four gold medals (lower right) Devlin’s drawings for the medals 294

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(upper) 2010

(lower) 2010

Australia Day Foundation UK, lapel pin

Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) UK

This was presented to each recipient of the Foundation’s annual awards. Devlin’s drawing includes a depiction of the gilt pin at actual size.

Issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Included is an original drawing.

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1978

Translucent agate surprise egg with 18 carat gold decoration The egg is side-jointed and the edges are protected by decorative textured gold flames. It opens to reveal a large oval-cut amethyst set in gold flowers with pearl centres.

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1978

Surprise filigree flowered sphere The silver, silver-gilt and oxidised silver exterior opens to reveal a display of blue enamelled flowers amongst green enamelled leaves. The diameter is 3Âź in.

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CHAMPAG NE D IA MOND E X H I B I T I O N 1 987

Most of the designs on the following pages were part of a collection of 180 pieces made for this exhibition, which opened at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London in November 1987, later to travel worldwide.

Devlin conceived and sketched most of the designs during a period of two weeks at his home on the island of Mustique in early 1987. Many of the pieces were given names associated with the island. The collection comprised jewellery and automated jewelled surprise eggs.

The whole exhibition was designed by Devlin. This included the lighting, the diamond-shaped show cases (page 519), their plinths and the exhibition visitors’ route. It was easily dismantled for travelling purposes.

1987

Necklace for the Champagne Diamond Exhibition Stuart Devlin discusses making the piece with one of his craftsmen. The completed necklace is shown opposite.

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1987

Gold necklace and matching earrings The 18 carat gold graduated offset oval links alternate between plain polished and grain-set cognac diamond links.

Included is an original sketch.

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1976

Seven Swans a-Swimming

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1977

Eight Maids a-Milking

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1982

Sofa The twenty-eight filigree rosewood panels are partly upholstered in pink linen.

Devlin’s design curves and undulates.

Included are some related sketches.

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1982

Restrained height: 23 in.

A perforated brass sphere is anchored by a hand-forged chain. Gold figures stand below on a polished steel base.

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1982

Overflow height: 22 in.

Heavily welded brass flows over a spun brass sphere with gold figures on a polished steel base.

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2007

The Floating House, UK Designs for a large house with wild gardens, to be built on an existing flooded gravel pit The CAD ideas show a cantilevered building with a driveway running through it. The roof plans (above) indicate drawbridges raised and lowered. The option for a pool, to the right of the lower ground floor, is seen through the glass roof. (overleaf) The upper ground floor plan 492

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1

1931 to 1949. Stuart’s mother was resourceful and kind. She maintained a well-run home and made the boys’ clothes. She often went to the market early to buy food, keeping only what was needed for her household. The remainder was distributed to neighbours at the price she had paid. The boys were encouraged to be busy and creative even when shelling peas. Competition to build the highest tower of pods required speed and dexterity. Curiously, reading was considered a lazy pastime! However, this did not diminish Stuart’s future

2

appreciation of books and the value of the written word.

His father, a master painter and decorator, would sometimes challenge his sons to find any gaps between lengths of wallpaper he had hung. He taught them many of his skills, but work was intermittent during the Great Depression.

This was followed by wartime and his overseas service, ending at Tadji, New Guinea. The threat of real poverty always prevailed for the family. Despite this, Stuart’s childhood was a happy one.

c.1934. Stuart is photographed with his grandfather and older twin brothers Russell and Geoffrey.

[1]

c.1938. Stuart is seated with his younger brother Noel; his older twin brothers, Russell (left) and Geoffrey stand either side. The children were immaculately turned out by their mother despite very modest means.

[2]

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3

1935 to 1944. From the age of four, Stuart attended Swanston Street State School, which stood between the hospital and the jail, he recalls. From a young age his subjects included metalwork and solid geometry. During the holidays, the four brothers spent long hours in the fields picking peas in order to pay for their books and pencils. Unusually, the 6th grade teacher encouraged his top

students to attend Geelong Junior Technical School rather than the high school, the normal route to university.

In Stuart’s case this proved to be an inspired decision. At the age of thirteen he was required to choose a career in order to gain a scholarship to study art and metalwork at the Gordon Institute of Technology; his decision was to be an art teacher.

c.1942 to 1946. Stuart attended the Geelong Junior Technical School, later named the Gordon Junior Technical School, where he suffered poor health with suspected tuberculosis. The building was converted in 2016 and named the Devlin Apartments.

[3]

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