The Goldsmiths' Review 2016-2017

Editor Eleni Bide

Assistant Editor Sophia Tobin

Editorial Assistant Deborah Roberts

Correspondence

The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Goldsmiths’ Hall, Foster Lane, London EC2V 6BN Designed and produced by Christiechristie and Tack Studio tack-studio.com ISSN 0953-0355

Brooch pendant by Tom Rucker Fine Jewellery, platinum and diamonds, awarded the Goldsmiths’ Company Award at the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards 2017. RICHARD VALENCIA

Title page Bread basket by Nan Nan Liu, 2016, sterling silver. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA

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bowl by Kevin Grey, 2017 sterling silver. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA

GOLDSMITHS’ THE REVIEW

THE NEW PRIME WARDEN

JUDITH COBHAM-LOWE’S RICH AND varied career has many ‘firsts’. She was the first woman placed as a Non Executive Director (ned) by the Institute of Directors; the first woman ned within hm Treasury and subsequently their first female chairman of a Public-Private investment Partnership; and the first woman ned appointed to the board of a uk construction company (to name but a few of her achievements).

Her election as the Goldsmiths’ first female Prime Warden may be a seismic event in the Company’s history, but for Judith it is a continuation of her trailblazing work in corporate strategy and leadership.

The foundations for a life which has required an international outlook and an open mind were laid in childhood. Judith’s grandfather was responsible for all of Pilkington’s business east of Suez, and travelled for 10 months of every year in Asia, the Far East and Australasia. His stories helped to inspire her interest in foreign affairs and languages – an interest encouraged by her parents and her school, King Edward vi High School, in Edgbaston. When the time came to choose a degree course, her teachers supported her bold decision to apply for the new and innovative programme in Sociology at Bedford Ladies’ College, University of London in preference to the rather old-fashioned languages curriculum of Cambridge. Their prediction that she would ‘always be a linguist’ proved accurate: today she is a Fellow of the Institute of Linguists, and an aptitude for communication has been a thread running throughout her life. Close inspection of her cv reveals a parallel career as a print journalist and broadcaster, writing for several business magazines and making programmes for the bbc World Service on Germany and Russia.

During her undergraduate studies, her ability with languages led to her becoming part of an international team organising summer camps across Europe for underprivileged children from 10 countries. Finding venues, training student volunteers in non-verbal communication, and managing the logistics of moving hundreds

of children across borders provided a challenge, which she claims no subsequent job ever matched. A Council of Europe post-graduate scholarship to Cologne followed, and a thesis on the social integration of the country’s many thalidomide children.

Back in London and researching for the charity London Youth, Judith experienced a piece of luck, although she notes, “opportunity doesn’t knock loudly; it sidles into the room and waits to see whether you notice”. Studying for Membership of the Institute of Linguists, a classmate asked if she would be interested in becoming a research fellow in international management at what is now the Cass Business School – a chance meeting leading to a 19year academic career working for numerous prestigious institutions.

Eventually headhunted by the European Business School, she became their Deputy Director in 1982. But by this point, demand for support from the business leaders for whom she had acted as tutor on Oxford’s Strategic Leadership Programme led her to set up a corporate strategy consultancy.

As md , she worked with the Boards of major clients including bp; Arup; the bbc; Standard Chartered Bank; and Glaxo, on assignments which saw her working for them across Europe, the United States, China and the Far East.

Her first ned role came in 1996, and established a connection that had a significant impact on the next part of her career. As a ned of Mott MacDonald, an international firm of consulting engineers, she developed a particular interest in the sector. “The fact that you could be involved in a project that starts with a line drawing and three years later you can be looking at something like the Scottish Parliament, the Athletes’ Village or the bbc’s Media City in Salford is endlessly exciting.” In 2009 the Secretary of State for Business appointed her as Deputy Chairman and the first woman to serve on the Government’s £280m Construction Industry Training Board. Overnight she found herself responsible for 30,000 apprentices and a £90m training budget, plus a wide range

of initiatives to encourage inclusion in the construction industry. In 2015 she received an obe for her contribution to this field.

Judith’s ability to move between so many apparently contrasting sectors – academia, government and business – is down to the fact that she approaches them all strategically. It was this strength that led to her involvement with the Goldsmiths’ Company. For many years she had undertaken pro bono strategic consultancy to build links between business and the charity sector. Lord Cunliffe invited her to facilitate an away-day for the Charity Committee, which led to an invitation to join the Company in 1990.

Service on the Charity Committee for nine years and the Education Committee for seven has made her deeply committed to these areas of the Company’s work, and during her year as Prime Warden she hopes to establish a project to encourage community engagement within schools. Her experience within the construction industry informs another passion – the provision of high-quality apprenticeships and skills training – to which the Company contributes via the work of the Goldsmiths’ Centre.

When not pursuing her professional interests, Judith’s time is filled with classical music, theatre, her two young granddaughters, and a battle of wills with Crossrail-tunnelling moles in a large South Warwickshire garden. Opera has gained a particular significance since the death of her husband, whose injuries sustained on active service prevented him from hearing live music properly. She is now a Patron of English National Opera, British Youth Opera and the Royal Shakespeare Company. With its 700th anniversary on the horizon, the Goldsmiths’ Company is taking the opportunity to think strategically about its future and the impression it makes on the world. There can be few better people to help it do this than the new Prime Warden. ✦

ELENI BIDE

A PRIME WARDEN’S YEAR

THE SEVEN OR SO FORMAL DINNERS in our wonderful Livery Hall over which I have presided have been evenings I shall never ever forget. A year ago, my overwhelming sentiment was trepidation. Because of the encouragement and kindness of members of the Court and of the Company and staff, I have been made to feel incredibly special. It has been rather like being the bridegroom at a wedding, but many times over. I have received countless notes or emails of encouragement or empathy that have meant a huge amount to me. Thank you.

I am a ‘trade’ Prime Warden, but not at all in the mould of my celebrated silversmith predecessors: I am incapable of actually making anything. And I am from a very different trade background to that of my immediate predecessor, Tim Schroder, who is a distinguished silver scholar. I am very much at the trade end of the ‘trade’ spectrum. An accountant by training, I run a company with my brother Nicholas that designs and sells fine jewellery. I think that I am only the third retailer since the War who has become Prime Warden. I am also a relative rarity for a Prime Warden of this Company, as I worked full-time (or sort of) during my year.

As Prime Warden, I have tried to promote an agenda that helps those people running small jewellery and silver companies grow their companies into something more substantive than a one-man band if they have the aptitude and ambition to do this. With the amazing help of Peter Taylor and Karine Lepeuple in the Goldsmiths’ Centre, and our Clerk, Sir David Reddaway, a Business Growth Course was launched in June 2017 for up to 10 participants who have the aspiration to grow their businesses. The intention is to run this course annually and for it to be accessible online to a wider audience. This is a very exciting development. Going further (and Rome was certainly not built in a day in a livery company), I am keen that we should extend our support for these ‘ambitious’ companies to help

with overseas trade shows and a mentoring programme. There is so much expertise, experience and goodwill in our Freedom and Livery that could be harnessed and used for mentoring others.

I also believe that we should do more to recognise the importance of commercial jewellers today and enrol more key movers and shakers from the jewellery trade into our Company. Arguably, at present, this sector is under-represented in our membership. Patrick Fuller and Stephen Webster, in particular, have been huge supporters of this ambition. I am glad to report that the Court has agreed that we should start work to right this imbalance.

I have been extremely fortunate to have been steering the Company ship in relatively favourable financial conditions. Our Investment Committee, chaired by Rupert Hambro, has been rock solid in its decision making, allowing us to set our budgets based on the principle of ‘prudent ambition’. The Court has been able to increase the money available for the Charity and Education committees and for our trade support initiatives, and this extra spending is set to continue. The largest charitable donation in my year as Prime Warden was a sizeable donation to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries in Westminster Abbey, where the Abbey’s historic silver plate will be shown –a grant decided after a stimulating debate between members of the Court. Of course, the Court always enjoys a debate. But I am delighted to say that there is a real feeling of solidarity at present and I am very grateful for the support and wise counsel I have received.

The staff has also been wonderful. Our newish Clerk, Sir David Reddaway, (who incidentally I had met in 2006 when he was Ambassador in Dublin as Boodles have a shop there) and Nick Harland have been incredibly supportive. Nothing has been too much trouble.

My wife, Annie, has embraced the year wholeheartedly. As many will know there is a full and stimulating programme for

Masters’/Prime Wardens’ spouses. Annie and I have 21-year-old twins who are away most of the time at university, so ‘the year’ has come at an excellent time in our lives.

In fact Annie has so enjoyed it that she has accepted an invitation from the new Prime Warden (and our first ever woman Prime Warden), Judith Cobham-Lowe, to represent her at spouses’ events.

There have been countless memorable trips during the year, including to Stockport Grammar School Speech Day – who really value our relationship with them; to the Royal Mint in preparation for the Verdict of the Pyx, where we had a fascinating tour; and to the Edinburgh Merchant Company for a marathon dinner, which lasted nearly five hours.

As a Great 12 Master (or Prime Warden in my case), I have ventured out very regularly with the Clerk to sumptuous and memorable dinners in other Livery Halls. We have had many laughs, most notably at the beginning of the year when unbelievably we couldn’t find the Mansion House. Only when we eventually found it did we realise that we should have been at the Old Bailey anyway!

Annie and I have made great friendships amongst the Great 12 Masters and their wives. Every Company has its idiosyncrasies. One thing, however, that stands out a mile about the Goldsmiths’ Company is its vibrant connection with our wonderful trade. I believe it makes us the envy of many other livery companies. Above all else, the way in which our community has worked together to strengthen our trade and our connections to it is what has given me the greatest joy in my year as Prime Warden. ✦

MICHAEL WAINWRIGHT

“I have tried to promote an agenda which helps those people running small jewellery and silver companies.”

Michael Wainwright presents the College Trophy won by the Birmingham School of Jewellery to Gaynor Andrews at the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards 2017.

CHARLOTTE TURNER

LOOKING BACK AT THE YEAR

Goldsmiths’ Members’ Charitable Fund

Apprentice of the Year

“I hope that I can inspire the next generation of the UK’s workforce,” said Ben Pritchard, who won the 2016 Goldsmiths’ Members’ Charitable Fund Apprentice of the Year. The Award recognises one Goldsmiths’ Company apprentice’s excellence in their specialist skills alongside their willingness to go above and beyond within their indentured apprenticeship and is sponsored by the Members’ Charitable Fund and Thomas Fattorini Ltd. Ben received the medal from HRH The Princess Royal at a ceremony at St James’ Palace on 8 June 2016. The medal was designed by Maisie Sale, a student on the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Foundation Programme. See page 53 for a profile of Ben.

“Surprising and striking,” was how the judges described the Inside Out box collection by Sheng Zhang, the winner of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s prize for silversmithing at New Designers 2016. Sheng, who studied at Birmingham City University, will receive a week’s work experience in a Goldsmiths’ Centre workshop, a bursary and a Student Hallmarking Package. Chen Cheng, also from BCU, won the Goldsmiths’ Company Jewellery Prize for her Dancing on my own ring, and was praised for her “exciting, elegant and refreshing take on body jewellery.”

Goldsmiths’ Fair 2016

Goldsmiths’ Fair 2016 saw an increase in visitors and sales on the previous year. There was a packed programme of Breakfast Talks and free events, with subjects ranging from Formula One trophies to royal diamonds. Ten Fair applicants were selected for the Graduate Bursary Scheme, receiving a free stand, bursary, loan and mentoring. Best New Design Awards were won by Max Danger (week one) and Patrick Davison (week two). Supermodel Erin O’Connor selected 22 personal highlights from the Fair that were displayed alongside Barbara Cartlidge and the Electrum Gallery:APassion for Jewellery and Silver: The Dark Side, an exhibition celebrating dark and matte silver objects, curated by Brian Kennedy.

Make Your Mark 2016

Make Your Mark, the UK’s biggest event for apprentices and students on precious metal-related courses, took place on 1-2 November 2016. 750 attendees flocked to Goldsmiths’ Hall, and there were more than 120 student registrations received. The programme included talks by Theo Fennell and the Prime Warden (in his capacity as Managing Director of Boodles). The event also saw the inaugural Make Your Mark Awards, which challenged designers to produce pieces involving the London hallmark as part of the design. The silversmithing category winner was Annabel Hood for her design London’sLeopard; the jewellery winner was Roxanne Gilbert for the FiveFacetsRing

Skills Show 2016

The Goldsmiths’ Company was well represented at the Skills Show competition held at the Birmingham NEC in November 2016, with five of the finalists coming from the Goldsmiths’ Company Apprenticeship Scheme. Abigail Buckingham won a Gold medal and Luke Blackie won a Bronze. Goldsmiths’ Company apprentices Alex Wood, Chloe Lightfoot and Hugo Johnson will compete for the one squad place at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi, which will take place in October 2017.

Top Ben Pritchard receives his medal

Top left Goldsmiths’ Fair

RORY LINDSAY

Top right Make Your Mark JULIA SKUPNY

Bottom

Abigail Buckingham (Gold Medallist) and Patrick Fuller, World Skills UK National Finals Birmingham WORLD SKILLS UK, 2016

Getting Started

Getting Started at the Goldsmiths’ Centre ran from 9 to 13 January 2017, with 30 participants taking advantage of sessions on subjects including social media as a marketing tool and working with photographers, as well as a special industry networking event on 12 January. Work from up and coming brands and designer makers involved in both Getting Started and the Setting Out programme was available to buy at Shine, an exhibition held in the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Atrium between 24 November and 19 December 2016.

Trial of the Pyx

The Trial of the Pyx was opened on 31 January 2017 in the presence of the Queen’s Remembrancer, Senior Master Barbara Fontaine. Nearly 35,000 coins were assessed as part of the Trial. The Verdict was announced on 26 April in conjunction with an exhibition on the gold sovereign (see pp 33-35). Stand-out coins included one kilo gold coins, minted to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday and the Lunar Year of the Monkey, respectively.

De Vroomen Exhibition

The exhibition DeVroomenJewels: Harmony in Colour and Form opened on 12 April 2017, celebrating the long collaboration of Dutch goldsmith Leo De Vroomen and his wife, designer and artist Ginnie De Vroomen. The exhibition featured more than 100 pieces of jewellery alongside Ginnie De Vroomen’s vivid paintings, and was on show to the public until 26 July.

Goldsmiths’ Centre’s

Fifth Birthday

The Goldsmiths’ Centre celebrated its fifth birthday with a party on 25 April 2017. Guests included those who provided support for and made an impact on the charity’s work, from Trustees, resident craftspeople, student alumni, members of the Goldsmiths’ Centre and Goldsmiths’ Company.

Goldsmiths’ Lecture

The inaugural Goldsmiths’ Lecture took place on 4 May 2017, and was given by historian Dr David Starkey. Entitled ‘When I Hear the Word “Art”, I Reach for My Gun’, it focussed on art both as a word and as a concept. The annual Goldsmiths’ Lecture series will focus on the decorative arts and their place in modern culture.

Below & right Goldsmiths’ Centre fifth birthday celebrations SAM FROST PHOTOGRAPHY

The Trial of the Pyx RORY LINDSAY

Thomas Fattorini presents David Starkey with a commemorative medal NINA HOLLINGTON

Leo and Ginnie de Vroomen RORY LINDSAY

Contemporary Jewellery

Galleries and in the UK

The variety and wealth of talent in contemporary jewellery and silversmithing in the uk is amongst the best in the world. That so many craftsmen and women are able to run sustainable businesses is a testament to the appreciation and support of clients, collectors, institutions, and galleries. The development of contemporary craft galleries in the uk by dedicated individuals in the late 1960s and early ’70s gave a much needed platform for makers – rightly elevating and presenting this area of skill and originality to an ever growing audience.

DURING THE 1960 s JEWELLERY, IN PARTICULAR, had broken away from tradition to create a modern aesthetic and was no longer seen as purely adornment. The role of gallerist and curator was also introduced into the field of jewellery. These individuals had the passion and ability to present these works in a type of setting which previously only focussed on fine art and sculpture. Early private, specialist galleries in the uk, including Electrum Gallery (1971), Lesley Craze Gallery (1984) and Gill Wing Jewellery (1985), joined the longstanding champions of crafts such as The Scottish Gallery (recently celebrating its 175th anniversary) and Contemporary Applied Arts (1948). As the first gallery to focus purely on jewellery, the founders of Electrum stated in their opening show in 1971: “We feel now that the time has come to establish a gallery for this art form and so give jewellery designers the same opportunity for exhibiting their work that is enjoyed by painters and sculptors.” Adding to these highly regarded venues, came the annual Goldsmiths’ Fair in 1982. Born out of the Loot exhibition which began in 1976, this show enabled jewellers and silversmiths to exhibit and sell their pieces directly to the public and is still an important event in the calendar to this day.

JANICE HOSEGOOD

Kath Libbert in her study

KATH LIBBERT JEWELLERY GALLERY

For many makers, the commitment to their craft is achieved at the very most, with a small support team, but more often, as a solitary activity. Visitors enjoying the amazing creations on display during fairs and exhibitions are often unaware that the craftsperson in front of them is not only the artist/designer and maker, but is dealing with the admin and marketing, the stock control and accounts, taking enquiries, and many other tasks besides. Working in partnership with an accomplished gallery and its team was, and still can be, an excellent support system for the progression and success of an independent jeweller or silversmith.

The ‘market place’ of the 1970s and ’80s was relatively simple compared to today. Apart from a handful of fairs for makers to present their own pieces, the galleries provided the main attraction for potential buyers. The benefits were clear and the results self-evident; galleries and their staff had a broad knowledge of contemporary work and could work closely with clients over long periods of time; an artist was able to show pieces in a specialised gallery with dedicated staff to an audience that might not otherwise see their work and they would be included in context with their peers or senior artists. As The Scottish Gallery’s Director, Christina Jansen, points out, “the benefit is by association – if you have your work in The Scottish Gallery, it means something. The gallery benefits by having talented artists – we always have something special to offer clients who are often already very knowledgeable and are buying into what we have to offer.”

But the gallery landscape and the opportunities for makers to sell their work – and for clients to buy it – have changed enormously in recent years. Two of the best known specialist galleries, Electrum and Lesley Craze Gallery, closed in 2012 and 2015, respectively. The evolution of online selling as a tool for craftspeople to become their own retailers combined with the increase in retail shows and fairs, means

that there is now a head-spinning array of ways for clients to purchase a special piece of jewellery or silverware. This, inevitably, can create challenges between galleries and the makers that they represent.

In talking to many craftspeople and galleries in my preparation for this article, there is unanimous agreement from both sides about what constitutes a good working relationship: “Much like any other relationship: trust, honesty and a good understanding of the makers’ needs is essential,” jeweller Josef Koppmann tells us.

Jeweller Jane Adam adds, “A good gallery should promote one’s work and give a seal of approval to it. And should be able to understand the work, and to give feedback and advice so the relationship is mutually beneficial beyond sales. And pay quickly.”

With experience as both a jeweller and a gallerist, Flora Bhattachary has a very clear view: “Both sides should make each other’s lives easier! A really good gallerist will understand a lot about an artist’s work and will translate and communicate that to their clients. By taking on the liaison work between client and maker, they should both reassure the client and free up the artist. The gallerist should be best placed to advise artists and in turn, the artist needs to be prepared to be advised by the gallery, be flexible and provide the stockist everything they need in order to really sell. The best galleries/stockists make purchasing into an event. They provide their clients with a chance to socialise, network, learn and have fun.” This point is picked up passionately by Kath Libbert, who set up her gallery in Saltaire in 1996: “It’s incredibly important to me that people have a good experience here, that they get good service. We are in a luxury market – not because it’s necessarily expensive, but because it isn’t shelter – it’s not food – it’s something that people choose because it enlivens them, so the whole organism has to be healthy because you want it to be a pleasurable experience for anyone who comes, whether they buy anything or not.”

So how do makers juggle the relationships with galleries and their own online presence and e-commerce? Many have found themselves dealing less with galleries and taking more control themselves. Citing examples of businesses that don’t pay artists promptly or don’t excel at promoting their makers, many jewellers that I spoke to voiced frustration that the mutual respect and healthy relationships aren’t always what they should be or what they had grown to expect from the now sadly gone Electrum or Lesley Craze galleries. It is clear however, that makers aren’t always the innocent party in this slightly fractious relationship. Flow Gallery has made a conscious decision in recent years to stock less jewellery because, in the experience of owner Yvonna Demczynska, “uk jewellers concentrate on selling directly more and often call back their work so don’t offer the gallery the continuity of representation”.

Gill Wing Jewellery’s Director, Sarah Burns, tells us, “It can be difficult to compete with online shops as our overheads are so much greater. We try to be open with our artists about pricing and also encourage them to charge a fair price for their work to value their own time and costs. We are all from a making background so we appreciate the work that goes in and the many draws on the designers’ time away from the bench in trying to run their business. We believe that we can offer customers a level of customer service that is not possible via online shops. We also have the benefit of offering a huge selection of artists all under one roof.”

All this said, and after many discussions, I do feel there is a positive future for jewellers, silversmiths and all craftspeople. Long established galleries are evolving and working out the complexities of their role in the virtual and real world of surviving in business. Makers are having to decide how many ‘hats’ they can competently wear as a small business and are becoming more discerning about who handles their sales.

Tropaeolum necklace by Wiebke Pandikow, 2015, recycled bags and drift wood, exhibited at Gill Wing Jewellery

WIEBKE PANDIKOW

Asked if makers were optimistic about the future for galleries, Flora Bhattachary captures it perfectly: “I’m very optimistic because I think that the role of galleries is in many ways even more important than it has ever been. In a world of surplus and excess there is even more need for a ‘curatorial’ role to assist customers to navigate their purchasing choices. Put that together with clients’ desire to gain new experiences, make personal connections and understand more about how things are made and designed – should provide gallerists with a pivotal role in the buying experience. What is really key is that galleries, fairs and stockists don’t stand still and that they constantly innovate in how they attract new clients and draw in potential new markets. They have to look for new ways to create events that educate, excite and add to the experience of visiting a curated space.”

And the wider mood is cautiously hopeful for the future; with news of the

Crafts Council’s plans for the re-introduction of a public-facing centre for craft in London, the role of our capital city as a world platform for the talent based here, is being widely supported. Jeweller Disa Allsopp says: “I am optimistic for the future, but I think one needs to tackle the market at all levels. I am hoping someone opens another contemporary jewellery gallery in London as there is a gaping hole which needs to be filled; I miss Electrum Gallery as there is no other gallery like it at the moment.” And a tip for success and maintaining an ongoing good relationship, from jeweller Daphne Krinos to galleries:

“By acknowledging that their relationship with the makers is as important as the one they have with their best clients.” ✦

Opposite, top left

Go with the Glow bangle by Wanshu Li, 2016, acrylic, seed beads, fluorescent plastic tube, nylon wire, exhibited at Gill Wing Jewellery SHANNON TOFTS

Top right Advert featuring jewellery by David Watkins, produced by The Scottish Gallery, 2017 THE SCOTTISH GALLERY

Bottom Entanglement collection by DeeLyn Walsh, sterling silver, exhibited at Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallery DANIEL ANDERSON

Interior of The Scottish Gallery THE SCOTTISH GALLERY

THE GOLDSMITHS’ COMPANY WOMEN AND

WHEN JUDITH COBHAM-LOWE TOOK HER PLACE AS Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company on St Dunstan’s Day 2017, she was the first woman in seven centuries to do so. The long wait for a female Goldsmith to take the chair lies in contrast to the fact that women have always played a part in the Goldsmiths’ Company, even if that part was, for many centuries, in the margins of official record.

From the Company’s earliest times, women were involved in the craft (often working as burnishers or polishers) and family and business intermingled. On St Dunstan’s Day 1401, it was ordained that “if anyone of the goldsmiths’ mistery should take or send any piece of goldsmiths’ ware to any woman married to a man of another mistery, he shall pay for each time he is found guilty of the offence 6s 8d”, showing that wives of goldsmiths were expected to share in the secrets of the trade. It was not the only time that marital relationships appear in the records: in 1468, a man was ordered to pay £10 for the “ungoodly language and unwomanly demeaning” of his wife.

Some consequences of medieval women’s involvement with the Company reverberate down the centuries. Agas Harding was the widow of a senior goldsmith, whose independent command of her considerable wealth made her an important figure. At Agas’ death in 1514, she left a small farm north of Fleet Street to the Goldsmiths’ Company. Five centuries later, the redevelopment of this land financed the building of the Goldsmiths’ Centre.

The uncertainty of life in past centuries necessitated the involvement of women in the trade, even if they weren’t working at the bench. If a goldsmith died, his widow would be granted a connection with the Company ‘by courtesy’, allowing her to inherit her husband’s apprentices and to register a maker’s mark, usually in the shape of a lozenge, the heraldic shape for a widow. One prominent example is Eliza Godfrey, born Pantin, the daughter of one goldsmith and the widow of two, Abraham Buteux and Benjamin Godfrey. The workshop she managed – for 17 years after the death of her second husband – produced some of the finest quality silver in Georgian London.

The women involved with the Goldsmiths’ Company were not always widows. Discussing her recent research on female masters and apprentices in the Company’s records during the Early Modern period, Dr LaJean Chaffin revealed that between 1576 and 1800 there were 168 girls apprenticed through the Goldsmiths’

Company. Many of these were not trained in the craft, but in other occupations such as millinery. The last woman to be apprenticed as a jeweller before the 20th century was Elizabeth Relly in 1781, and she did not take up her freedom.

Reflecting a wider cultural shift towards a polarisation of the male and female spheres, the Victorian period did not see any women admitted to the Company after 1845; women were guests at balls, but did not touch the business of the Company. But the early 20th century saw more women makers emerging, particularly in connection with the Arts and Crafts movement, and in the postwar years female designers and makers made a bigger impact than ever before. Joyce Himsworth, who studied at Sheffield School of Art, was one such pioneer, and the Company’s Collection holds seven pieces by her. A letter from her remains in the Company’s archives. Dated 22 July 1945, she asks that “whatever plans are made to assist craftsmen, exactly the same may apply to craftswomen”. It would be some time before Joyce Himsworth’s words were honoured. The first woman to gain her freedom by service in more than 200 years was Wendy Cook (later Coombs), who became free in 1983 having been apprenticed as an engraver to William Summers of Garrard. She followed Ida Cane, the first woman to be admitted by patrimony in 1961; the female staff lined the stairs to welcome her. In 1971 the jeweller Gillian Packard became the first woman to enter by redemption. Dame Rosemary Murray, Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University, was the first woman on the livery in 1978. And in 2006, Dame Lynne Brindley became the first female member of the Court of Assistants. As of 2017, a third of Goldsmiths’ Company’s apprentices are women, succeeding on their own terms in a trade in which women have always had their part. As of St Dunstan’s Day 2017, they have the example of a female Prime Warden to show them that a woman can rise to the highest office in the Goldsmiths’ Company. ✦

Opposite Wendy Cook receives her freedom in 1983 Joyce Himsworth’s letter to the Goldsmiths’ Company, July 1945, asking for “equal opportunity” for women RICHARD VALENCIA

SOPHIA TOBIN

Elizabeth Godfrey’s mark entry in the London Assay Office hallmarks register, below that of her late husband Benjamin RICHARD VALENCIA

Interior of Daphne Krinos’ studio JULIA SKUPNY

The Ambassador Diamond Necklace Competition

Design competitions are always stimulating –there is nothing more uplifting than being confronted with the design world’s endless capacity for innovation and creativity.

The recent competition held by the Goldsmiths’ Company for a diamond-set necklace that would display high levels of craftsmanship whilst at the same time using diamonds in an original and contemporary way was –if you’ll excuse the pun – a gem of its own. The Company called the competition its Ambassador Diamond Necklace Competition for the very good reason that the necklace was meant to be a statement piece; an object which could act as an ‘ambassador’ for the freshness of contemporary jewellery design.

THE COMPETITION JUDGES WANTED a necklace that could be worn happily in today’s less ostentatious world and yet would be sufficiently interesting to be worth exhibiting. ‘The design,’ said the brief, ‘should be both experimental and beautiful, frankly belonging to 2017, which would not have been made at any other time; as uninhibited as modern sculpture, or fashion: individual, imaginative and smart, but above all extol its diamond content.’

Clearly, the aim was to do what the 1961 De Beers jewellery competition set out to do: to stimulate and encourage innovative design whilst at the same time reminding the public of the eternal beauty of diamonds; to help us see these wonderful stones in a new light and to make us realise that there is more to diamonds than the solitaire.

The diamond content had to be considerable. For the final design, which would obviously be made up by the winning designer, some £20,000 worth of diamonds (half of which was generously funded by Boodles) would be provided, whilst another £10,000 would be offered to pay for the precious metal content. The company specified that the diamonds used needed to be ones cut in the familiar ways – round brilliant cut, emerald, baguette, cushion, marquise, pear, Asscher or radiant.

I was delighted to be asked to participate in this exciting project as part of the six-strong judging panel. Entries from the distinguished designers and ateliers invited to take part came in thick and fast, and though eventually the decision to award the prize to Daphne Krinos was unanimous, there was lots of

LUCIA VAN DER POST

discussion along the way. One of the entrants had created a linked necklace of golden beads, each bead made up of tiny golden seeds, to be exquisitely crafted and embedded with a scattering of small diamonds. Yet another entrant designed a sinuous black coil embellished with a string of diamonds along it – a fun and immensely flexible way of creating a necklace. Yet another had a series of gold triangles, circles and oblongs in which diamonds were embedded and which formed the links to a very edgy necklace. There were bold, rough-edged squares of gold and diamonds; there were sinuous tubes of gold with diamonds pouring through. The variety of design and the many different interpretations of the brief made for a fascinating exercise in comparing like with very unlike.

There was a drawing of a dramatic collar featuring erratic cascades of diamonds – theatrical and original – completely different in character to an enchanting series of flaky gold leaves in each of which nestled some diamonds. Many of the entrants came up with eminently desirable necklaces. One particularly beautiful design featured some smooth oval gold links, each sporting a diamond within it, and it would be hard to think of a lovelier necklace to own. But in the end we had to go for something that was more strikingly original, and here Daphne Krinos’ design was the out and out winner.

The designer’s vision was inspired by cities at night, the black ruthenium oblongs bringing to mind skyscrapers against the night sky. Not only is it beautiful – something that many of us would love to own and wear – but it is also utterly original. It is as modern as it is beguiling, as easy to wear as it is enchanting. As a piece it couldn’t have been made in any other era. As a jeweller Daphne Krinos is known for her strong sculptural shapes, for her originality and her unwaveringly contemporary ethos, which no doubt explains her ardent following amongst the design cognoscenti – architects, artists and collectors are amongst her fans. Her work is in the permanent collections not only of the Goldsmiths’ Company itself but also of the v&a and the Crafts Council. She loves working with gold, black oxidised silver and precious stones and in the Ambassador Diamond Necklace all her flair with these materials is evident.

As Rosemary Ransome Wallis, Art Director and Curator of the Goldsmiths’ Company put it, “Daphne is a true ambassador for studio jewellery designs. Her work exemplifies what we look for with the Collection. Her piece not only reflects her personality but also the ethos of the 21st century; forget ‘bling’; it’s all about the concept.” Daphne Krinos herself says that she has “always been very particular about how stones should be used in jewellery and my composition is designed to show the diamonds at their best”.

One of the charms of being a judge at competitions is that it offers one a privileged view of the world of creativity. It puts one in touch with new ways of thinking and makes one look at longestablished, traditional forms such as the diamond necklace with fresh eyes. It is a reminder of just how creative our current crop of designers are, how freshly they are able to think about the whole world of jewellery and how spontaneously they seem to be able to re-invent even the most conventional concept.

Certainly as one of the judges it was immediately evident that whilst the other entrants had come up with some charming and sometimes very striking necklaces, what made Daphne’s stand out was its very modern inspiration. The differently sized lozenges of black ruthenium plated white gold had sculptural appeal, which in combination with the geometrical precision of the placing of the differently shaped and sized diamonds, reminded one irresistibly of the skyscrapers she was inspired by. It is a very worthy winner. When the necklace is shown in all its fully made-up glory as one of the major pieces in an exhibition of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s Collection at the diva Museum of Silver and Diamonds in Antwerp it should do the Company more than proud. It is a vivid tribute to the strength of our creative industries here in the uk, a reminder of how innovation and artistic endeavour enrich all our lives. And, from the perspective of this particular judge, it was a rewarding and fascinating way to spend a few hours, looking deep into the creative well that is all around us. ✦

Do you enjoy working with diamonds? How do you feel about them as a stone?

I do like working with diamonds and have used them many times before. A lot of my work is dark and diamonds offer me the chance to highlight parts of a piece of jewellery, or draw attention to particular points in a design. I don’t think I have a traditional approach with diamonds though, and making this piece hopefully will offer an alternative way for people to appreciate them.

What was it like having to conform to a brief as opposed to being self-directed – what challenges and advantages does this offer? Did you find any element of the design brief particularly appealing?

I always enjoy working to a brief and wish I did so more often. Sometimes it is harder to be self-directed, although this is what I have mostly been doing in my 30-plus-year practice as a studio jeweller. The competition brief offered me the chance to be more extravagant with my materials, and use a large number of diamonds which I would never otherwise have afforded. Although I based my design on an idea I have been working on for a while, I tried to stick to the brief which was about the stones. I have always been very particular about how

stones should be used in jewellery and wished for a chance to make a piece using a large number of diamonds. What was the most evident and important part of the brief was that the stones should be the ‘heroes’, which I found particularly appealing.

Your necklace design has a strong architectural theme. Can you talk about why you chose skyscrapers as a subject?

How does it relate to your other work?

A great deal of my work has a strong architectural theme. I am interested in buildings, and construction sites. I live in a city and I am influenced by what I see around me. I have been working with the ‘city’ theme for a couple of years now but I try not to be figurative, I just want to combine shapes and lines I like in order to give an impression, hopefully capturing the energy of any city, without using specific types of buildings. There are features in this necklace, which are reminiscent of views of buildings from above (aerial photos maybe) as well as those viewed from the ground, and a few units reminiscent of large steel beams used to build them. I really like looking at tall buildings at night, when all lights are on. They make me think of diamonds, especially when I see them from far away, all neatly lined up and sparkling. ✦

Previous The Ambassador Diamond Necklace, The City Lights, by Daphne Krinos, 2017, ruthenium plating on 18ct white gold, diamonds. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA

Q&A WITH DAPHNE KRINOS

JULIA SKUPNY

Constructing the necklace

JULIA SKUPNY

‘YS IS YE KINGS ACCT’; RE-DISCOVERING THE WICKES LEDGER

THE ISLE OF WIGHT FERRY ON A WARM AUGUST evening is perhaps an unlikely starting point for an article about historic documents. However last year the Goldsmiths’ Company’s Librarian could be found amongst the Cowes Week revellers, carrying a 17th-century ledger wrapped in a Mackintosh.

Two weeks previously the Library had received notification through The National Archives of a document described as a ‘17thcentury goldsmith’s ledger’ up for auction with a small Isle of Wight saleroom. Further information was slight, but tantalising enough for Assistant Timothy Schroder to travel to view the ledger in person. The brief time he had to examine it was enough to confirm that it contained the accounts of a very significant retail goldsmith, who counted royalty amongst his clients. After consulting the V&A and the Museum of London, the Company decided to bid for the document in order to make it available to scholars for further study. This led to an expedition to the Cowes saleroom, and a rather tense contest between the Goldsmiths’ team and an anonymous telephone bidder. After the auctioneer brought down the hammer, someone waiting for a later lot leaned over to Mr Schroder and asked ‘So what exactly did you buy?’

Over the past year some answers to this question have emerged. On close examination it was apparent that many years ago someone had realised the historic significance of the document, and had marked entries relating to important clients with small paper slips. A search of the Library’s archive correspondence revealed that in 1971 a businessman named Sir Henry Chisholm wrote to the then Librarian, Susan Hare, requesting advice about ‘an old book which I possess’. Susan Hare replied with enthusiasm, and asked if she might show it to Charles Oman, who had recently retired as Keeper of Metalwork at the V&A. Intriguingly, there is no further correspondence, or explanation as to why such a rare document disappeared from view for a further 45 years.

One of the first people to take a closer look at the document was Dr David Mitchell, who has been conducting a long-term study into silversmiths in the 16th and 17th centuries. Using references in the ledger to various family members – such as ‘Owing by my mother Mrs Mary Wickes for graving arms and burnishing a can’ – he was able to suggest an identity for the

RICHARD VALENCIA

ELENI BIDE

person responsible for the ledger: the retailing goldsmith Thomas Wickes, who rose to be an Assistant of the Company and had a shop on the Strand.

Wickes’ ledger runs between January 1673 and July 1684. The bulk of the entries relate to his sales to a very elite client base.

A particularly striking example is that for 28 September 1676, when Baptist May, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, is described as owing for a number of items including a large ‘sylabub pot’.

The entry ends “Ys is ye kings Acct”.

The grand clients certainly paint a vivid picture of Wickes’ fashionable business, but of equal importance are the descriptions of the items they bought. We can see jewels such as ‘diamond pendants’ and a ‘white amber necklace’ being sold alongside silver.

Wickes’ stock included the latest styles: Dr Mitchell has found examples of ‘monument’ candlesticks, apparently modelled on Wren and Hooke’s Monument commemorating the Great Fire of London. Some of the more surprising items sold are ‘nipple shells’ and ‘sucking bottles’. Could these be aids to infant feeding, made in silver like many surgical implements of the period?

Wickes does not seem to have been the tidiest bookkeeper, which makes the ledger all the more interesting. In amongst accounts of items sold, one can find the occasional reference to the silversmiths who provided him with stock, such as the well-known Jacob Bodendick. Like many of the period’s elite retailing goldsmiths, he also seems to have offered some banking services.

Wickes’ habit of noting down different kinds of information in his ledger can also provide a poignant insight into his personal life.

On 30 October 1678 there is a payment to ‘Brother Wickes … for mending your shooes’. The back of the ledger contains a variety of private accounts, including a reference to payments to a nurse for soap and candles.

The re-discovery of this remarkable document allows us to travel back more than 300 years and glimpse the complex and fascinating world of a 17th century goldsmith. Now it has found a home in the Goldsmiths’ Company’s archives, researchers will have the opportunity to uncover more of its secrets. ✦

Entry from the Wickes Ledger showing items purchased for King Charles II, September 1676

The Golden Thread of Giving: The Goldsmiths’ Company’s New Charity Model

NICK HARLAND

THE CENTRAL IMPORTANCE OF CHARITABLE GIVING IS writ large across the history of the Goldsmiths’ Company. Beginning with the support given by medieval goldsmiths to their poor brethren, a desire to use its resources to improve society runs like a thread through the centuries. However the continued relevance of this strand of Goldsmiths’ identity is dependent on the Company’s willingness to continuously evolve its giving to meet the needs of an ever-changing world.

A desire to do just this was one of the motivations behind the 2016 strategic review of the Company’s work in this sector – the first for 30 years. The result is a bold new plan which increases our impact on, and engagement with, some of the most pressing issues in Britain today.

For many decades the Company’s principal focus had been supporting a wide range of small charities with grants of between £3,000 to £5,000. Whilst this approach meant that many different schemes benefitted from our assistance, it also created challenges: processing high volumes of grants left little time for staff and members of the Charity Committee to take a broader view of their work, and if the charity budget was to be increased, following this model would create an impossible workload. Dealing with so many different applications also had an impact on the due diligence carried out on applicants, and limited the Company’s ability to understand fully the difference its grants were making. Overall, the Company was reactive rather than proactive. Was this really the best way to spend the money which had been entrusted to it by generations of goldsmiths?

With a more strategic and proactive approach already improving the Company’s education work, in February 2016 the Charity Committee and staff embarked on nine months of exploration. This involved drawing on the skills of Company members and contacts, as well as making links with new partners. Mr Ed Vickers (liveryman) provided information on best practice in due diligence; Professor Les Back of Goldsmiths College spoke about societal trends, and Dr Peter Grant of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Cass Business School gave evidence on effective grant making in the current climate.

The Company’s overarching charitable objects (the relief of poverty in the greater London area, the advancement of education and any other charitable purposes) are unchanged, but enhanced by a greater understanding of where best to focus its attention. The result of the review is the development of a new philosophy towards our giving, based on three key areas of societal need: youth; an ageing population; and the rehabilitation of prisoners. The emphasis will be on having more impact through making larger, longer-term grants and engaging more closely with the recipients so that we understand them and their achievements in more depth. It was also envisaged that we would seek, where appropriate, to collaborate with other grant makers and livery companies to make even more effective use of our charitable support.

This page, left Envision, equipping young people with essential life skills

ENVISION Right The Choir With No Name, helping people affected by homelessness

Some of the first examples of this new model include work with the Young Brent Foundation to establish ways to provide services for young people in light of the rapidly declining local authority spending in this area; the lessons from successful parts of this scheme can be shared nationally. With one of the Company’s long-term partners, the Prisoners’ Education Trust, we are funding a pilot scheme concentrated on digital learning in prisons which will, it is hoped, have a similarly wide impact. Key changes to bring the administration of the Company’s charities in line with modern practices have also been beneficial. The Committee now meets five times a year, rather than 10; applications and grants are managed through a Salesforce database; and an additional member of staff has been taken on to enable the Grants Manager to migrate to the new model and to add capacity to the team’s research and due diligence capabilities. With more time to consider new ideas, the Charity Committee has been able to take bold steps into areas which would previously have been too daunting to consider. For example, we have provided seed funding, in collaboration with the Archbishop of Canterbury, for a new charity, Feeding Britain, set up following an All Party Parliamentary Group chaired by Frank Field mp. It is establishing 12 ‘social supermarkets’ around the country. These not only provide food to impoverished families, but also the supporting guidance programmes to help bring order to chaotic lives which is so often the cause of food poverty in the first place.

There is still much work to be done. Finding the right programmes to support the elderly has been challenging, and is the subject of continuing research to ensure that the money the Company gives in this field really makes a difference; while there is no shortage of national charities operating in this area they tend to be too large for us to have much impact. Effectively engaging the wider membership of the Company with the charities it supports is another aspiration requiring more work.

A long-running strategic review of the Company’s education work has recently concluded and the results put in place. Several schemes which had been highly successful had reached the end of their natural life, such as our support for London Primaries and our Science for Society courses; the former had dramatically improved, while the latter were no longer attracting sufficient new teachers. In their place, programmes which have a greater national impact have been introduced and the results are potentially very exciting. Examples include Reach Out Reporter, which was developed by Imperial College to provide imaginative resources for Primary teachers to explain emerging science news stories. The Company is supplying the funds to make this free to all Primary schools. At the same time, the National Theatre is doing something similar for

Primary school teachers through its On Demand programme which supports the literacy element of the national curriculum using its plays. Again, this is free thanks to the Company. And the latest initiative is our collaboration with a group of three Gravesend Primary schools to fund a specialist maths teacher to raise standards across all of the schools in a particularly deprived area. The Company is now on a footing which allows it to be as visionary in its charitable and educational work as at any point in its history. I am proud to say that our programme of giving is playing a leading role in fulfilling the company’s aspirations for its 700th anniversary: to make a contribution to national life. With substantially increased charity and education budgets from spring 2017, this exciting new chapter has only just begun. ✦

Previous, left Polka Theatre’s Curtain Up! Programme DAVID MONTEITH-HODGE / PHOTOGRAPHISE

Right Age UK Hammersmith & Fulham’s Upcycling Workshop Project AGE UK

HANNAH GOODWIN

ALL THAT GLITTERS: SHAKESPEARE AND THE GOLDSMITHS’ COMPANY

THE YEAR 2016 MARKED THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF WILLIAM Shakespeare’s death, and even though the playwright died in Stratford-upon-Avon, much of his professional life was spent in London. Shakespeare’s London was a city of Lord Mayor’s pageants and midsummer plays, of rising theatres with companies of players, and of livery companies. And although there are many mysteries about William Shakespeare, one certainty is that he knew members of the Goldsmiths’ Company. ☛

SOPHIA TOBIN

We don’t know when William Shakespeare journeyed to London from Stratford-upon-Avon, but he was in the city by September 1592, when a pamphlet branded the young actor and writer as ‘an upstart crow’. At the time he was writing plays such as Richard iii, with lines that show not just his burgeoning genius, but also his knowledge of the assaying process:

O Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold indeed

Shakespeare was absorbing the influences of the commercial City of London, with Cheapside and its goldsmiths’ shops at its heart. At one time, he lived on Silver Street, a short walk from Goldsmiths’ Hall. References to gold, silver and jewels appear throughout his work, and when he gained his coat of arms, in 1596, he chose prestigious gold and silver as its metals.

The vibrant city brought equally vibrant chances for collaboration. One of Shakespeare’s creative relationships was with Goldsmith Robert Armin (1563–1615). Armin became a Goldsmiths’ Company apprentice in 1581, when he was bound to John Lonyson, Master of the Royal Mint. But although Armin became free in 1604, it seems his real love was performing and writing, and he worked as a touring player before joining Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later relicensed as The King’s Men). He was clearly a gifted actor, and posterity records him as a legendary fool; Shakespeare created complex, nuanced comic roles for him, including the fool Touchstone in As You Like It (1599). The character’s name refers to the stone used in the assaying process, a reference both to Armin’s status as a Goldsmith, and the fact that Touchstone ‘tests’ the other characters. Other roles written for Armin include Feste in Twelfth Night, and the Fool in King Lear London also gave Shakespeare ample opportunities to observe the vicissitudes of life. He knew Francis Langley, the nephew and ward of John Langley, a Goldsmith who served as a Warden of the Company as well as Lord Mayor. Francis made his fortune through ruthless moneylending, building the Swan playhouse in 1594–5 with the proceeds. We know he crossed paths with Shakespeare because his name features alongside Shakespeare’s in a writ by William Wayte, accusing them of threatening his life and safety (tantalisingly, we do not know the full context). Langley’s wealth did not last – he incurred the animosity of Robert Cecil over the theft of a large diamond from a Spanish ship, and died in debt in 1602. The fruitless project of his later years was an

Previous Cheapside and its goldsmiths’ shops, shown during the coronation procession of Edward VI, 1547 RICHARD VALENCIA

attempt to extract silver from a lead mine. His story reads as dramatically as a plot in one of Shakespeare’s plays.

But if Shakespeare had sufficient proof for writing ‘All that glitters is not gold’ (The Merchant of Venice), he also found proof of friendship in London. Thomas Savage, a freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company, was a man of property and wealth who took nine apprentices and served in the important official role of seacoal-meter, monitoring the coal delivered by sea to the Port of London. Thomas was made a trustee in the Globe Theatre by Shakespeare and his associates in 1599. As such, he was part of Shakespeare’s network of trusted contacts, which included Savage’s close friend, John Jackson, and his fellow seacoal-meter, John Heminges. Heminges and Savage served as trustees in Shakespeare’s purchase of the gatehouse of the former Dominican Priory at Blackfriars later in his life; and Heminges was co-editor of the First Folio

Another of Shakespeare’s contemporaries was the playwright, Thomas Middleton. Although not a member of the Goldsmiths’ Company, he was a prolific writer involved in City pageantry – who would later write a celebration of the New River project, the work of Goldsmith Sir Hugh Myddelton. Thomas Middleton collaborated with Shakespeare in 1605, writing, it is believed, part of Timon of Athens (after Shakespeare’s death, Middleton would also be entrusted with adapting some of his work for The King’s Men). In 1613, Middleton’s comedy A Chaste Maid In Cheapside focussed on Moll Yellowhammer, the daughter of a Cheapside goldsmith who is forcibly betrothed to a philandering and moneygrabbing suitor. It was performed at the Swan, the theatre once owned by the now-dead Francis Langley.

It was in Stratford that Shakespeare set down roots, acquiring property there over the course of his career. But he continued to return to London throughout his life. He died in April 1616, five months after his most famous fool, Robert Armin. The City of London had brought him contacts both practical and inspirational, and experience of human nature in the form of actors, playwrights, moneylenders – and Goldsmiths. ✦

MORE THAN MONEY:

THE ALLURE OF THE GOLD SOVEREIGN

KEVIN CLANCY

George III sovereign of 1817, featuring a portrait of the King by Benedetto Pistrucci ROYAL MINT MUSEUM

ISSUING A LARGE GOLD COIN WITH A FACE VALUE of 20 shillings towards the end of the 15th century was a bold move: ambitious, visionary but not entirely practical. Henry vii, though, did not wish to be left behind in the fashion current amongst other European rulers to produce large silver and gold coins reflecting the splendour of their regimes. He called this gold coin the sovereign, closely aligning it with the monarchy, and to support the boldness of the coin’s size and value he secured a design with panache engraved in every line. The figure of the king confronts the viewer through an enthroned portrait and on the other side a magnificent double Tudor rose symbolises the unity Henry was able to bring after the Wars of the Roses. Sovereigns continued to be issued throughout the Tudor period, becoming a slightly more practical proposition in circulation towards the end of the 16th century (though still an exclusive one, with each coin worth one pound or 20 shillings). The principal gold coin changed its name and its size on a number of occasions during the 17th and 18th centuries but when reform of the currency was being contemplated after the Napoleonic Wars, the historic name of sovereign was revived. After the long war with France there was a clear desire to focus on future stability, and a new silver coinage was issued simultaneously throughout the country in February 1817. The value of sterling was linked to the value of gold, a system that became known as the gold standard and came to be adopted by nearly all major economies by the end of the century. The design chosen for the new sovereign was as visually stunning as Henry vii’s, but this time it embraced a love of neo-classical art that was gripping London at the time. An Italian gem engraver, Benedetto Pistrucci, depicted St George slaying the dragon and devised a portrait of George iii that romanticised this once gifted but now failing monarch as a robust classical hero. Pistrucci’s St George, although it was replaced within a decade, has proven to be remarkably resilient. It was restored to the coinage in the 1870s and has since become a design that defines the gold sovereign.

If using a 20 shilling coin had been a mark of exclusivity in the 16th century, the sovereign of the 19th century had become much more closely aligned with ordinary incomes; by the 1870s the income of a building labourer in the south of England was about £40, similar to what Shakespeare had earned some three centuries earlier. But it was not just a coin for domestic circulation. The expansion of the British Empire in the 19th century led to the sovereign being used around the world, and branches of the Royal Mint were opened in Australia, Canada, India and South Africa to help transform locally discovered gold into a more readily transportable and tradable commodity. The coin also found a market in countries with no political allegiance to Britain, such as

in South America and Africa, helping it to become one of the most ubiquitous forms of currency.

In response to this increased demand, production of the sovereign in the 19th century assumed truly industrial proportions and with greater use there arose the problem of wear and tear. A continuous recoinage of gold was only instituted in the 1890s, and created an appreciable uplift in quality. Improvements were also being made to the standards of purity and the consistency to which sovereigns and half-sovereigns were made. As a result of more accurately made trial plates and advances in assaying techniques, the Goldsmiths’ Company, through the agency of the Trial of the Pyx, played an important role in embedding an unshakeable sense of trust and confidence in the gold coinage.

From its reintroduction in 1817 the gold sovereign had come a long way, carving out a role for itself in almost every part of the globe. By the end of the 19th century Britain’s circulating gold coinage, although costly, was a thing of beauty to behold and it was perhaps not surprising that the spectacle of a group of gold coins could have a magnetic impact above and beyond their pure monetary worth. Writing to his parents having found out he had sold Treasure Island to the publishers Cassell for £100, Robert Louis Stevenson could barely contain his excitement on receiving the fee in sovereigns: ‘a hundred jingling, tingling, golden, minted quid’.

The outbreak of the First World War drove sovereigns out of circulation within very short order. While there was no formal suspension of gold in 1914, the government urged people in the strongest terms to stop using sovereigns. Lloyd George, the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, stated forcefully that those who sought to withdraw gold from banks were as good as helping the enemy by limiting the financial means by which Britain could fight. As such, gold disappeared quite simply because it became unpatriotic to demand it in payment.

The sovereign may have departed from active circulation long ago but it remains part of the British currency as a coin produced every year for collectors and for the bullion market. Maintaining a gold coinage in good condition carried a heavy cost, and the reality of allowing a proportion of the nation’s wealth to be worn away in the everyday action of business and exchange became untenable. Threats arose to challenge its existence: from war and currency reform, to changing customs, theories of economists and the prevailing economic climate. Somehow, though, the sovereign has survived, and the reality of its being anchored almost as much in the heart as in the purse has defined its character and made it immeasurably more than money. ✦

Silver Speaks

Silver Speaks was conceived to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Contemporary British Silversmiths (cbs), formerly the Association of British Designer Silversmiths. Instead of one celebration, a whole programme of events was planned; a year to celebrate the exceptional level of creativity and skill in British silversmithing today, promoting the use of silver in contemporary life and raising the profile of individual silversmiths.

CBS WANTED TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME of our industry’s most exciting artists and designers, exploring the diverse applications of the material, from the experimental to the traditional, and the sculptural to the functional, thus showcasing the remarkable applications of silver.

The positive effects and influence of cbs as an association have built steadily over the past 20 years, promoting members’ work and raising the profile of the unique craft of silversmithing, which is truly something to celebrate. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s Silver Galleries also had their 20th anniversary in 2016, so a joint celebration seemed appropriate. This took the form of an exhibition staged in the gallery entitled Idea to Object, which traced how a work in silver is brought into being from the inspiration, through sketches, models, material experimentation and construction processes, to the final piece. The exhibition acted as the centrepiece for the Silver Speaks programme and we were delighted that acclaimed journalist and design critic Corinne Julius agreed to curate this focal event, which was an opportunity open to the whole membership, including graduate members.

From the many design proposals submitted, 18 pieces were selected to make up the striking exhibition. This was so successful and popular with visitors to the V&A that it was extended from the original run of 11 months well into 2017, closing on 2 July.

Multidisciplinary designer and artist Marcin Rusak worked alongside Corinne Julius to design the installation.

RAUNI HIGSON

Left Boscawen-Un vessel by Abigail Brown, 2015, Britannia silver, sterling silver, vitreous enamel

Above Animus sculptural centrepiece by Kevin Grey, 2015, sterling silver SYLVAIN DELEU

For Corinne the project offered unique opportunities. She commented: “British silversmithing is at the forefront of contemporary craft and Britain is the world’s centre for modern studio silver. Silver has become a medium of choice for the expression of ideas. Silver fell out of favour but is now being rediscovered and enjoyed by a new generation. When cbs asked me to curate an exhibition, I wanted to show not only what an extraordinary material silver is, with its myriad qualities, but also how silversmiths use a combination of head, heart and hands to produce their work. The idea behind the object, how that is developed, the story it tells and the processes used in its making, are inherent components of the final work.”

Alongside this exhibition, another partnership was celebrated: that of the Silver Trust and Downing Street. Their newest commission, a beautiful sculptural piece by member Junko Mori, was shown alongside the Idea to Object exhibits in the Silver Galleries.

The second major event of Silver Speaks was Form at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, an exhibition that provided an insight into the processes behind the making of objects. It showcased 33 works, selected from individual members of cbs, alongside the makers’ own tools, original samples and drawings. Designer and photographer Anne Kernan created a stunning exhibition design featuring photographs of silversmiths’ tools that wrapped around the foyer of the Goldsmiths’ Centre. The silversmiths selected were those whose designs successfully interpreted one of the five themes – ‘strike’, ‘construct’, ‘enrich’, ‘colour’ and ‘innovate’ – as well as simultaneously exhibiting excellence in design and craftsmanship. Again, the run of the exhibition was extended, to coincide with the London Design Festival.

In addition to these flagship exhibitions, the year was packed with events to reach out to a new audience, and ignite interest in contemporary silver. During our partner­

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ship with London Craft Week 2016, there were live demonstrations, a curatorial talk, and a public spoon­making workshop, all at the V&A. There were 60,000 hits on the Silver Speaks website in this week alone. Other events included a handling session in the Library at Gold smiths’ Hall with members Rod Kelly and Angela Cork, and more talks and demonstrations during London Design Festival, Elements 2 in Edinburgh, and at the Holburne Museum in Bath. We also delivered a very wellreceived trade symposium at the Goldsmiths’ Centre which had as its keynote speaker Mark Henderson, co­founder and Chairman of The New Craftsmen. Designer and maker Steven Follen gen erously talked through the technicalities of creating a major sculptural installation for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Our partnership with the London Design Festival resulted in more than 230 people coming to watch a demon stra tion by Rebecca De Quin in the V&A’s Silver Galleries. For the first time in many years, silverware was on sale in the V&A shop for eight weeks and we hope to work with the shop again in the future.

The programme continued strongly into 2017. We once again partnered with London Craft Week, building on the success of the previous year, this time taking over the Silver Galleries for three days with live silversmithing demonstrations. Guest silversmiths from the Danske Sølvsmede (Danish Silversmiths Asso ciation) were invited, supported by the Royal Danish Embassy, as well as the Georg Jensen workshops in Copenhagen, to explore the potential these collaborations can bring. At the time of writing we are in the throes of planning a public silver smithing symposium to be held at the Royal College of Art.

From the outset, cbs knew that the success of such an ambitious programme would depend on great coordination and a strong overall vision. It was directed by Karin Paynter who developed the programme strategy and oversaw the branding,

communications and pr . A core team comprising only three people (Karin; Vice Chair Angela Cork; and myself) delivered the entire programme, with support from the committee and administrative staff.

The Silver Speaks visual identity was created by leading branding experts, Neon, led by Dana Robertson, with outstanding photography provided by Sylvain Deleu, creatively briefed by Angela Cork. The simple encapsulation of the concept through the brand mark helped us to bring the event to life and create a vehicle for promoting contemporary silver, putting across a clear and distinct message reflecting the craftsmanship of the objects.

The dedicated Silver Speaks website enabled us to expand the event with ease, and to reach a far wider audience. It also means we have the opportunity to create an evolving public dialogue about contemporary silver which we plan to develop in the future.

A central part of the programme was building a relationship with pr agency Cultural Agenda. Our objectives were to gain press exposure in magazines that don’t usually consider silver and we were delighted that Cultural Agenda achieved this for us. Silver Speaks appeared in magazines such as Wallpaper* and Wired, and many online platforms, as well as features in the more traditional press, including the Telegraph, Crafts and Homes & Gardens. One of the key reasons the project thrived was because it focussed on collaborations. It was designed to facilitate the forging of partnerships within the industry as well as outside it; to explore new ways of raising awareness of contemporary silver. None of this would have been possible without the support of the Goldsmiths’ Company who put their faith in the association to create a successful event. The partnership with the V&A has also been invaluable and, with the indefatigable encouragement of Eric Turner, it allowed us to promote silver to a huge audience for 15 months. We also had backing from the

Left Wrapped Birch fruit bowl/centrepiece by Hazel Thorn, 2016, Britannia silver and gilding metal

Right Juxtapose cups by Cara Murphy, 2015, Silver and brick SYLVAIN DELEU

To Make a Thing utensil by Stuart Cairns, 2015, silver, found objects, linen thread SYLVAIN DELEU

“It is no exaggeration to say that Britain leads the world in this field, and now it is more important than ever to get that message across.”

Arts Council who provided funding for the London Craft Week events.

As 2016 progressed, it was rather like riding a runaway rollercoaster, as the success of the programme bred more and more interest, more enquiries and requests, and more opportunities sprang up. We felt we were pushing on open doors in terms of public interest, and there was an appetite to discover more – a renewed interest and fascination with making in silver. The scope of the programme and the clarity of our Silver Speaks concept gave us the opportunity to reach out to promote silver in a way that has bene fi tted the whole industry. The partnerships we forged proved to be durable and powerful, creating a huge impact in a cost effective way. The generous sponsorship of the whole programme of events by the Goldsmiths’ Company has enabled a great leap forward in public awareness, appreciation and support for contemporary silver. It is

no exaggeration to say Britain leads the world in the field, and now it is more important than ever to get that message across. cbs is immensely proud of the success of Silver Speaks and we are looking forward to building on this success in the future. ✦

WWW.SILVERSPEAKS.CO.UK

WWW.CONTEMPORARYBRITISH SILVERSMITHS.ORG

Left Soft Vessels on Stilts, pouring vessels by Adi Toch, 2015, Britannia silver, stainless steel, resin SOPHIE MUTEVELIAN

Right Rauni Higson and Corinne Julius SYLVAIN DELEU

In 1988, Mary Ann Simmons left behind a career in film and television special effects for what should have been a one-year sabbatical in London. So how did someone paid to blow things up for American television programmes, and work on music videos with the likes of David Cronenburg and K.D. Lang, come to pursue a career in silversmithing?

“I

started out as a jeweller specialising in private commissions alongside my work in the media,” explains Mary Ann, “but eventually I began to feel that film and television weren’t my arts and I was supporting other people’s creative vision, not my own.”

DURING A CAREER SPANNING 20 YEARS, MARY

Ann’s journey within the industry took her from her native Canada to London, and eventually to Wales where she now has her studio. Fascinated by multifaceted, mathematical vessel forms, and intrigued by geometry and its relationship to box-making, her work has become known for its complex simplicity, purity of line, quality of finish and exploration of perspective. It is collected worldwide, and she is featured in the collections of the Goldsmiths’ Company and the British Museum. She counts the King of Greece and the actor Kevin Bacon amongst her clients.

Mary Ann was first drawn to silver as a child when she became fascinated by the task of transforming her parents’ tarnished silver to a brightly polished finish. She was attracted to the metal for its beauty and intrinsic working properties. Her career began at George Brown College and Humber College, Toronto, where she studied jewellery design under Anne Barros and Akira Ikagawa. She was recognised immediately

for her work and gained an Honourable Mention at the Metal Arts Guild annual Student Show.

Employment followed, and she briefly worked for a gold casting company before joining Burkhardt

Jewellers as a designer, where her collection of silver and gold jewellery became its top seller and a tricolour gold bracelet featured on the cover of Canadian Jeweller Magazine. Later, working as a favour alongside a close friend who was making her own music videos, Mary Ann discovered her skills were useful in the media and she found herself working on Canadian television and film sets while continuing to create jewellery part-time. In 1988, an opportunity came to work in London and she eagerly accepted, continuing to work in media for companies such as Granada and Channel 4 while exploring her next steps in jewellery design. She discovered London was a unique creative hub in which she could expand on her training and develop her critical thinking. As she explains, “Jewellery and silversmithing existed in Canada, but sadly, it was nothing

PERSPECTIVES IN SILVER

Mary Ann Simmons

KARIN PAYNTER

like the lively scene I found here in the uk and Europe.”

She enrolled at the London Guildhall University (Cass) under the tutelage of Howard Fenn, Roy Flewin and Joyce Palmer, graduating with a First Class ba (Honours) in 1997. During her time there she won awards from the Jerwood Foundation and the Goldsmiths’ Company. In 1998, she was selected for a place at the Royal College of Art (recently ranked the world’s leading art and design university). During her two years at the rca, her interest in silversmithing outgrew her interest in jewellery, and a passion for box-making and etching was kindled.

Mary Ann’s degree exhibition collection was entitled Inside Out and featured boxes etched in different sizes and metals but predominantly made in Germanium silver (now Argentium). She had been given 4kg of silver from Kultekeskus, a Finnish silver company using Germanium in its own factory and keen to support a new maker. Fascinated by the idea of enclosing space, Mary Ann describes how she “thinks of framing the space” so that when she makes she is constantly imagining the shape of both the exterior and interior.

The use of handwriting, drawings or patterns photo-etched onto the interior box walls allowed her to create ‘boxes of memories’ that paved the way for future commissions customisable for any occasion. “Creating individual commemorative pieces is one of my main objectives, and photo-etching helps capture and preserve the character of an image which I apply to the interior and exterior of a commissioned piece.”

Since graduating from the Royal College of Art, box-making has continued to be the launch pad for any work Mary Ann creates. In the same way another silversmith might specialise in hammer techniques, Mary Ann’s focus is creating a three-dimensional object from a single flat

Previous Ease In/Out Cubic, 2016, Britannia silver RICHARD VALENCIA

Below Hexagonal Box 2006, Britannia silver. Collection: Past Overseers’ Society of St Margaret and St John the Evangelist Westminster RICHARD VALENCIA

Opposite 12:24 2017, Britannia silver SYLVAIN DELEU

sheet of silver. She enjoys playing with perspective, the challenge of building complex polygons, and the technical challenges presented by this approach.

One such example is her latest piece, 12:24 , which has been on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum for more than a year as part of the Contemporary British Silversmiths’ exhibition, Silver Speaks: Idea to Object. Mary Ann created 12:24 from two single pieces of flat silver sheet. After sketching, drawing on the computer and model making, she scribed, scored, folded and soldered the silver sheet to form a three-dimensional vessel that, as she describes it, “expresses clean lines, facets, precision and containment”. On closer examination, it becomes clear that the piece is more complex than it at first

appears. The top line and base are 12-sided polygons. Observed from the top however, these 12 sides double to 24 because the point of the top facet is rotated to meet the centre of the base facet, further challenged with the addition of a tapered wall. In the words of the exhibition’s curator, Corinne Julius, Mary Ann “uses silver like paper, working with mathematical concepts to make pieces that seem effortlessly beautiful”.

Other notable commissions have included 2 Temple Place, made in partnership with Vicki Ambery-Smith, which she counts as one of the many highlights of her career. “It was our first large scale, complex commission. It was a making challenge we both enjoyed because it involved new technical challenges and allowed us to work with people like Howard Fenn, an expert

in any facet of silver smithing, and the wonderful Stephen Gottlieb, a master lute maker.” Creating commissions for the Past Overseers’ Society of St Margaret and St John the Evangelist, Westminster, housed at Westminster City Hall, has also been a fantastic experience. To be represented in a collection spanning 300 years is an honour.

Mary Ann’s contribution to the world of jewellery and silversmithing extends beyond the bench. She served on the Promotion Committee at Goldsmiths’ Hall for three years and is a regular judge at the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards and other industry awards. From her earliest days with Contemporary British Silversmiths (cbs) – she joined in 1998, two years after the association formed – she was

active in helping organise exhibitions of members’ work both in the uk and the us

From 2008–11, Mary Ann chaired cbs and was privileged to help organise its connect Conference. She also organised the very well received SIDE x SIDE – EDGE > EDGE exhibition that took place in both Finland and the uk with guest Finnish silversmiths, paving the way for a collaborative approach that has become one of the association’s guiding principles.

Since this time, Mary Ann has been actively involved in helping to move cbs forward in its support of silversmiths during their careers, and in opening doors for other makers to follow in her footsteps. She provides a bespoke photo-etching service to designers; is regularly invited to teach short courses in box-making and etching at

West Dean College; and regularly exhibits at Goldsmiths’ Fair. In 2009, Mary Ann was employed by the Royal College of Art as a Technical Instructor, a position that provides her with a unique opportunity to be constantly engaged with technical innovation. In 2013, she was honoured to be clothed in the Livery at Goldsmiths’ Hall.

Mary Ann is passionate about preserving and passing on silversmithing skills to future generations and expanding the support network for up and coming makers. This commitment informs her approach to her work. She says: “I feel like I have accomplished quite a lot during my time in the workshop. I have learned a great deal in many ways, including sharing ideas with other makers which I regard as just as important as learning the mechanical skills to produce a piece.” On her future silversmithing plans she continues, “When I look back I see my first steps and their satisfying imperfections. When I look forward I see those same imperfections getting better and more advanced with each personal challenge I give myself in design and making.” It is these perceived imperfections that drive Mary Ann to create ever more complex geometric forms and beautiful pieces in silver. ✦

Opposite Mary Ann Simmons at work ANTHONY JAMES

Left Rhombohedral Set, 2015, Britannia silver RICHARD VALENCIA

BECKFORD UNMASKED

ON 16 APRIL 1989 SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK HELD THEIR spring silver sale. Lot 77 was titled:

A George IV Silver-Gilt Near Eastern-Style Casket, John Harris VI, London, 1820.

The rectangular casket was chased and engraved with arabesque designs, and the auction house synopsis suggested that the piece was connected to William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey. Back in the 1980s there were few publications about this eccentric character.

At the time the most useful and thorough piece of research was ‘William Beckford’s Silver’, a two-part article by Michael Snodin and Malcolm Baker published by the Burlington Magazine in 1980, which listed a vast array of silver and gold and was the most comprehensive inventory of his collection. Other articles revealed that Beckford was notorious for giving suppliers and craftsmen nicknames, John Harris being known as ‘the Methodist’. It was, therefore, reasonable for Sotheby’s to indirectly suggest that the casket could have been part of Beckford’s collection.

At the time of the auction I was the head of Antique Silver at Asprey. I had always been intrigued by Beckford’s exotic commissions, many of them influenced by his own imaginative taste and also that of his close friend Gregorio Franchi. I had once possessed a group of these pieces: eight magnificent candlesticks, a kettle on a stand and a wonderful gold toasting fork. I took them to Los Angeles to show to the great Arthur Gilbert, one of the biggest collectors at that time, but he decided against them.

When this casket appeared soon after, I had no doubts that it was a Beckford piece. Firstly, the dimensions and weight were exceptional; at 12" × 9" × 5" and weighing 185oz, this was no ordinary piece. Secondly, even though this was not listed in the Snodin and Baker article, its design was so contrary to the fashionable Regency output of the main silversmiths of the day that it had to be made for someone extraordinary. Thirdly, the Mooreseque nature of the decoration fitted perfectly with Franchi’s Portuguese background.

At that time my opposite number at Spinks was Titus Kendall and it was commonplace for pieces to be bought in partnership. When we spoke, he was also sure it was from Beckford’s collection and, as the estimate of $25,000–30,000 seemed very reasonable, we decided to go for it even though neither of us had actually seen it. We bought it for $50,000, a figure substantially less than our maximum bid. Perhaps one of the reasons for this low figure might have been the fact that inside the hinged lid was a locked compartment that, apparently, no one had been able to open.

The casket arrived from New York and was spectacular. The immediate problem, however, was how to open the ‘secret’ compartment. Luckily Asprey’s Antique Clock department had a large box of old keys and on seeing the casket Mark Sampson, Head of Clocks, rummaged around in search of something suitable. Impressively, within five minutes he said, “Try this”. It is not always easy to put into words such a Eureka moment but in 45 years of handling silver this was one of the most exciting, and left me speechless. Within the locked compartment were chased entwined ribbons of love mottos in French around monograms fashioned in the same way as the exterior. The motto ‘Le tems peut nous detruire mais non pas nous detacher’ translates as ‘Time may destroy us but will not separate us’. In addition, the monogram initials appeared to be g f and v. If this was correct it would be reasonable to suggest that they stood for Gregorio Franchi and Vathek. With Beckford’s love of nicknames it is entirely plausible that he called himself after the gothic novel that he penned in the 1780s.

We still required definitive proof of the Beckford connection. A friend suggested I should contact Clive Wainwright, the great scholar of 19th century furniture and collections, at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was Clive who said, “Have you tried the Franchi sale at Christie’s on May 16 1827?”. Typically, this was the one sale that I did not know about, so I scampered off to King Street for further research. Christie’s have wonderful archives and generously allowed me to study the late Georgian sale catalogue and auctioneer’s book.

To have one Eureka moment was special but to have two was staggering. Lot 99 in the Franchi sale read: ‘A Jewel Chest in the Moorish taste’ with a further description of a frame inside the lid for a portrait (the portrait was removed before the sale and the frame has subsequently disappeared). This suggested that the box was a present to Franchi and originally included a portrait of Beckford. Furthermore, the buyer was listed as ‘Fles’. This does not take Bletchley Park brains to work out that ‘Fles’ is the reversed spelling of ‘Self’, probably done at Beckford’s insistence. The box was subsequently sold by Titus Kendall to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and is expertly written up by Ellenor Alcorn, in her second volume on English silver, item 184. This finelycrafted embodiment of Beckford and Franchi’s closeness had given up its secrets at last. ✦

Casket by John Harris, London, 1820–21, gilded silver. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Theodora Wilbour Fund in memory of Charlotte Beebe Wilbour and Frank Brewer Bemis Fund, 1994.89 PHOTOGRAPH

2017 MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON

ALASTAIR DICKENSON

MAKING CREATIVE LINKS IN THE DESIGN COMMUNITY

ISABEL KEIM

This year marks the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s fifth birthday and a lot has happened since the doors first opened at this unique hub in Clerkenwell. Today we welcome a vibrant creative community into our building, which makes use of our stateof-the-art workshops, venues and café to work, learn and meet. More than 100 young people take part annually in our apprentice day-release training, foundation and business development programmes; 83 resident craftspeople occupy our subsidised workspaces and 3,821 people have attended our short courses and ticketed events since 2012.

YET THE PAST YEAR HAS ALSO SEEN US REACH increasingly ‘beyond our walls’, promoting and strengthening collaboration amongst the wider goldsmithing industry and design community.

Collaboration is essential to ensuring creative growth and output. A focus group, organised by the Goldsmiths’ Centre in 2015 with key members from the goldsmithing industry, highlighted a clear wish for the trade to transcend traditional silos of age and experience; create a supportive environment of skill exchange; and encourage opportunities to network.

The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s founding principles made it uniquely placed to support the industry in making these ‘creative links’. Established by the Goldsmiths’ Company as a centre for those working in – or interested in – jewellery, silversmithing and the allied trades, it is designed as a place for people to meet and build strong partnerships and offers relevant and cutting-edge events and advice.

The ideal launch pad for this new initiative was Clerkenwell Design Week (cdw), a three-day festival held annually in May which attracts the international design community to our small area of London, where

the Centre was the official Live Events Hub. On the opening night we formally launched a free membership scheme to provide our industry and the wider creative community with a platform to share ideas, collaborate, evolve and grow businesses. Working in partnership with cdw all members were given priority access to talks which aimed at opening up the dialogue between those working across architecture, interior and product design, new technologies and craft. In addition, a networking evening, celebrating the formal launch of cdw with more than 160 guests, enabled members of the trade to form connections with those outside of their industry in a relaxed and informal setting. The membership scheme has proven to be an unparalleled success counting more than 1,000 members to date. Building on the momentum, the sellout Creative Links talk series has provided an intimate space for members to network over a glass of wine before hearing discussions with industry experts on topics such as ‘How Small Businesses Can Master Content Marketing, Social Media and pr’. In addition, members have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas at regular networking events or over brunch

Focus Group ideas

Inset Attending a LDF talk at

Centre, 2016 ©THEDPC

with Peter Taylor, Director of the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Their input helps to inform and shape the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s future programmes and offers.

To achieve our goal of providing innovative and thought-provoking content, the Goldsmiths’ Centre has also worked with partner and related organisations, thereby fostering collaboration and the exchange of industry knowledge with the wider luxury and design sector. In September 2016, Future Laboratory, a consultancy for trend forecasting, provided a fascinating talk series as part of the London Design Festival ( ldf ), which celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world and as the gateway to the international creative community each September. Looking ahead and bringing in examples from a wide selection of industries, the talk series focused on the future of luxury consumer and design trends; new engineered forms of material culture; and the integration of new technologies in the art of making.

During ldf we also sought to collaborate with organisations within the goldsmithing trade in order to bring our craft to a new design audience and educate other industries. This led the Goldsmiths’ Centre to work closely with Computer Aided Design ( cad ) training specialists Simply Rhino, following the success of our collaboration during cdw. Architect and designer Arthur Mamou-Mani was invited to discuss the use and potential of cad within visual merchandising, furniture and product design as well as architecture, showing how digital technologies can be used across design disciplines. Furthermore, Contemporary British Silversmiths promoted the design and creativity of the silversmith to the London Design Festival audience, through the exhibition Silver Speaks: Form, on display at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, and an extensive talk series. Silversmiths Vicki Ambery-Smith and

Below Clerkenwell Design Week’s ‘live events hub’ was located at the Goldsmiths’ Centre and attracted more than 3,000 visitors SAM FROST, 2016

Mary Ann Simmons, renowned for their sculptural work, were invited to discuss the relationship between craft and architecture, and what makes great design, irrespective of scale.

As our membership scheme and associated programmes continue to grow, collaboration will remain a key priority for the Goldsmiths’ Centre in 2017. Building on the success of 2016’s cdw and ldf partnerships, our focus is likely to shift further towards the ways in which digital channels can create exciting new opportunities to reach more people and develop educational and imaginative content. In 2016 we live streamed the sell-out Future Laboratory’s Digital Disruption talk during ldf via Unmade’s Facebook page, and following extensive interest the video reached more than 165,000 Facebook members. A project with the British Society of Enamellers saw us produce a series of tutorial videos led by leading Society members on quick-win

enamelling techniques, available through our online members’ area.

At the heart of the Goldsmiths’ Centre is our core charitable purpose ‘to advance, maintain and develop art, craft, design and artisan skills’. We are convinced that the future success of the craft and industry is dependent on our seeking new markets and opportunities for our trade and that collaboration is key. In an increasingly digital age it is essential that we recognise and embrace the opportunities as well as the challenges that will arise as a result. We live in a world where the fine hand skills demonstrated by our tenants and trainees are increasingly in demand by those working in other disciplines. The Goldsmiths’ Centre intends to do all it can over the coming years to ensure that this opportunity for creative collaboration is not missed. ✦

Apprentice to Freeman: Ben Pritchard

A

apprenticeship know it can be a gateway to professional success, but the extraordinary start of Ben

career shows what can be achieved by combining the opportunities it provides with dedication and talent.

Ben was introduced to the apprentice programme managed by the Goldsmiths’ Centre through Harvey Sillis, who became his master at Emson Haig. The idea suited his artistic tendencies. “I was never really fond of the idea of going to university as I wanted to learn a trade,” he says.

“The Goldsmiths’ Centre programme seemed like the perfect fit for what Emson Haig, Harvey and myself wanted.”

Ben’s achievements are impressive. During his five-year diamond mounting apprenticeship, he won Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council awards in 2014 and 2015, and was selected to represent the uk in the 43rd WorldSkills competition in Sao Paolo, receiving a Medallion of Excellence there.

The WorldSkills competition introduced a different dimension to his training, as it meant working without the reassuring presence of his master, and in front of an audience. “When I first starting competing at a national level, I hated it because I never had great confidence in my ability at the start,” Ben says. “But as I started to do well and eventually got selected to go to Brazil to represent the uk, my confidence grew and I began to enjoy working under such pressures. It taught me that I could complete these difficult projects in the time and also to a high standard, and to this day that has helped me in my everyday work. It taught me to believe in my own ability.”

Although work commitments mean that he isn’t able to attend WorldSkills events as often as he would like, he would love to advise the next person who is chosen to represent Team uk. “This is very important to me because I want to help the next generation excel in competitions

in the future. I believe that the uk has the finest young skilled tradesmen and women.”

In December 2015 Ben became a freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company. His many achievements during his apprenticeship were recognised when he was presented with the Goldsmiths’ Apprentice of the Year Award by hrh The Princess Royal in June 2016. Ben describes it as “definitely one the proudest moments of my life, to receive an award from Princess Anne in front of my mum is something I will never forget. It was the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake.”

He is still relishing life in the workshop. “I work at m a Griffin owned by Mark Griffin, situated in South Molton Street in west London. I am part of a small handson team creating bespoke jewellery for the trade and private clients. My days are really varied, working on all sorts of different projects, each with their own requirements. Today I am working on a handmade platinum single stone ring with a 5ct d colour flawless diamond. Before I start Mark and I run through the brief, focusing on the dimensions and fine details required. A fresh cup of coffee and on to weighing out the required metal, starting by milling the metal and drawing pieces down for bezel and claw wire. An urgent ring size has come in so I pause for a moment and carry out the sizing. I record each job number and time taken in my diary. Whilst I take my lunch break, my colleague Barry takes the collet and shank to prepolish, threading the collet and shank, polishing the hard-to-access areas before I continue to assemble the pieces. The job is urgent so I am under pressure to complete it before we finish today and it can be whisked off to setting.”

And what of the future? “I am very happy and love what I’m doing. Every day is different and my work is so varied. This is key for me.” ✦

Previous

for building creative links, 2015 THE GOLDSMITHS’ CENTRE

the Goldsmiths’

THE YOUNG MAKERS WHO BEGIN

GOLDSMITHS’ Company

Pritchard’s

JULIA SKUPNY

A GOLDSMITH IN THE MANSION HOUSE

“PRIVILEGED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY,” is how London’s 688th Lord Mayor, Lord Mountevans, describes how he feels about his time in the City’s highest office. Serving for the year 2015–16, the former Lord Mayor is well known for his nautical affiliations, but he also has an important connection with the Goldsmiths’ Company; a liveryman since 2012, he is an example of the way in which the Company’s membership draws on talent from across many industries.

Born Jeffrey Richard de Corban Evans in Gothenburg, Sweden, Lord Mountevans comes from a family with strong maritime links, including polar exploration (he is the grandson of Admiral Lord Mountevans, who was second-in-command of Scott’s last expedition). He studied at the Nautical College, Pangbourne, going on to become an acknowledged expert in maritime matters via his career as a shipbroker at Clarksons. He warmly describes Clarksons as “…one of the most important shipping companies in the world” which allowed him to participate in the “great adventure” of the seafaring world.

Lord Mountevans’ association with the City of London is a natural progression of his business interests. His mother Company is the Shipwrights’, which he joined in 1979 and who he served as Prime Warden in 2006–7. He has represented the Ward of Cheap as Alderman since 2007 and was Sheriff in 2012–13. He speaks affectionately of this “very special” ward which he feels proud and fortunate to represent, encompassing as it does eight Companies, four of which have halls. Within the City, the unique world of the Goldsmiths’ Company has given him the chance to experience the Trial of the Pyx and to appreciate the “great skill and craftsmanship” of its members, as represented in the gifts of a silver box and pen presented on the occasions of his City appointments.

During his year in office, Lord Mountevans’ sense of the City and its importance to the uk fitted with his theme: ‘Innovate Here. Succeed Anywhere’. The Lord Mayor has the formidable task of acting as a spokesman and ambassador for the City of London and the uk’s world-leading Financial and Professional Business Services. This resulted in a daunting schedule: over his year he gave 800 speeches, and visited 25 countries across five continents. Charitable matters are also central to the role. For the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, he and his wife Juliet abseiled down the tower of St Lawrence Jewry, and were very grateful for the Goldsmiths’ Company’s contribution: a cheque for £1,327 (“So I’ll never forget the date of the first charter,” he says). In total, the Appeal raised more than £1 million for diabetes research and the Sea Cadets. He feels “incredibly lucky” to have had the chance, he hopes, to make a difference through the unique position of Lord Mayor, not to mention the experience of living in Mansion House. However he emphasizes that changing the Lord Mayor each year is, in his view, invaluable for the City to “keep things fresh”. “A year,” he says with a smile, “is perfect.”

Lord Mountevans remains a passionate advocate for the City of London and institutions such as the livery companies, describing them as the “warp and weft of the City”. His main question is “whether our good works are adequately known? The Goldsmiths do really important, valuable things in charitable ventures and education. The City gives away many millions a year to charities, individuals as well as businesses… there is scope for us to tell more of that story to people, to make our contribution clearer.”

So what of the future for Lord Mountevans? He left Clarksons in January 2017 after 45 years, but only to begin a new journey. Having succeeded to his brother’s peerage in 2015, he now intends to contribute to debate in the House of Lords and to promote the maritime industry at home and abroad. He remains proud of, and committed to, the City of London. One of his last engagements as Lord Mayor was for the Goldsmiths’ Company. “What could be more special than ending my term as Lord Mayor, dining as a Goldsmith at Goldsmiths’ Hall?” ✦

Lord Mountevans rides through the City of London in November 2015 as its 688th Lord Mayor

SOPHIA TOBIN

A MINIATURE WORLD IN MULTIPLES:

THE JEWELLERY OF JO HAYES WARD

LOOKING AT A PIECE OF JO HAYES WARD’S JEWELLERY is rather like the view from a spaceship navigating through an alien city; the eye hurtles through canyons of ‘buildings’ made of tiny cubes of gold. It is an extraordinary miniature world, where the spaces between are as important as the volumes of metal. Hayes Ward uses her computer as a canvas. “I feel,” she says, “that you can travel through the work I make. You can go inside and look around.” It is like being inside a sculpture by Donald Judd or Richard Serra, both of whom, along with an interest in architecture, influence her work.

As a pioneer and one of the leading exponents of new technologies in contemporary jewellery, Hayes Ward has, unlike many who now use Computer Aided Design (cad), developed her own meaningful aesthetic language. Her ‘making’ is based on her cad drawings, not on hammering at the bench; the work she creates could not be made by hand. She is fascinated by the accretion of multiples; the spaces and shapes that can be constructed from a basic form. Even the succulents in an orderly row on the large window sill of her spare, clean, well-ordered studio, have leaves arranged in structured multiples. She describes herself as “a very mathematical person”.

London born and bred, raised in Hackney, Hayes Ward grew up in a visually aware environment. Her parents and stepfather were involved in photography and film and from the beginning she was an inveterate maker. When she discovered her stepfather’s soldering iron, “I was,” she says, “in heaven.” From then on she ‘drew’ in wire, creating and selling jewellery in the local market from the age of 12.

The art she was taught at school concentrated on drawing and painting, and not the 3 d experience that she craved. After disappointing A level results, she travelled to Australia, where “I did my growing up”, before coming back to London to do a Foundation Course at Camberwell. “It was like nursery for adults.

I just experimented non-stop. It was all about process.” Excited by metalwork, she stayed on at Camberwell to take its somewhat experimental course. Introduced to the joys of cad by tutor Mike Hurley, she was liberated from her frustration at her limited drawing ability. Whilst she experimented continually, she never produced jewellery.

On graduation she got a job as an administrator with the Crafts Council, where she realised for the first time that she was dyslexic.

“My former tutor Simone ten Hompel saved me, by offering me a job. I also worked for a local company making pewter and zinc bar tops, which was horrid but fun.” Desperate to make, she managed to get work making for three very different jewellers. “It was the most brilliant training, both technically and professionally. It opened up everything.” Jane Adam taught her sound business practice and very accurate making; Disa Allsopp to experiment and learn from

her mistakes; and Scott Wilson about the high-pressure world of fashion. It has stood her in good stead in a career that has been highly professional; disciplined and experimental; and often engaged with fashion. “Their example motivated me to pursue jewellery; I saw that I could work for myself and make a living.”

To hone her programming skills in preparation for her ma at the rca, she attended a Rhino course. She claims to have spent most of her two years from 2004–6 at the rca in a dark computer room, working out how to make jewellery. “It was that I could draw in 3d; I had never been able to draw. I could create things that were supposedly impossible to make, but I could. I was fascinated by the ability to do lots of something. I really like the idea of lots of units; it’s exciting to me.”

She is similarly intrigued by how light hits the surfaces of her jewellery. She experimented using aluminium both for its lightness and interesting reflective possibilities. Whilst she loves its qualities and the scale it makes possible, commercially it is nowhere near as successful as working in gold. Clients find it hard to accept that the intellectual rigour and time spent in making are just as expensive, whatever the material. However, the Goldsmiths’ Company did recognise it, commissioning an aluminium Random Master Brooch with 18ct gold elements in 2010 and purchasing her 3Edge Lace Bangle from her graduation show.

In 2007 Hayes Ward did her first Goldsmiths’ Fair and her first Collect (with Lesley Craze). She received a Crafts Council Development Award and in 2009 took a studio in Cockpit Arts Deptford. Then came a collaboration with Nokia, where she was asked to provide inspiration for their designers on how to manipulate a surface to make it easy to navigate. As a result she developed angled facets that led to her Hex range, composed of tiny hexagons. The faceting plays with how the light is reflected, creating a mesmerizing effect as the wearer moves. To amplify the effects of light she turned her attention to gemstones. “I like diamonds with faults; they have some magic, especially a palette of greys, browns and a kind of monochrome.” Her diamond Slice Rings have been very successful, for example in her Rock Vault show in Las Vegas, where she showed two specially commissioned Power Rings for garden designer Jinny Blom. Today it is still the larger pieces that bring the attention, but the smaller, gem set rings that sell best: 90% of her sales are engagement rings and 95% of her work is in gold. “I aim to be the alternative to Tiffany.” Around 10% of her work is to commission, which she enjoys, but finds immensely time-consuming. Her design process is now streamlined. She designs in Rhino on the computer, before the designs are 3d printed as wax models. This helps her to see how a piece works, before getting it cast in the relevant metal and then finished by hand. The process allows her to design incredibly intricate, precise pieces that could not

Opposite, top Flat Oval Hex Ring, 2013, 18ct yellow gold

LASZLO BECKETT

Bottom Power Rings, 2015, 18ct gold and golconda diamonds JEREMY JOHNS

CORINNE JULIUS

Previous pages, top left Hex Brooch, 2011, aluminium LASZLO BECKETT

Bottom left 3Edge Lace Bangle, 2006, 18ct yellow gold. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths LASZLO BECKETT

Top right 6 sided Stratus Ring with diamond edge, 2014, 18ct yellow gold and diamonds LASZLO BECKETT

Bottom right Three Parquet Shield Rings, 2016, 18ct gold and diamonds JEREMY JOHNS

This page, top Hex Shield Ring, 2015, 18ct gold and diamonds JEREMY JOHNS

Bottom Jo working at the bench at Cockpit Arts ALUN CALLENDER

realistically be made traditionally. “I do need to work within the boundaries of how fine something can actually print and cast and consider the wearability and weight of a piece,” she says. “Changing the scale can be hugely complex. I particularly like the fine texture of lines that you get from the way the wax models are printed. Instead of cleaning off these machine marks I utilise them as an aesthetic of the jewellery. The Hex collection is a good example of this. Pieces are built from hexagonal building blocks with angled surfaces which not only reflect light in different directions but also have the fine rapid prototyping lines pointing in different directions –allowing for exploration into pattern across the jewellery piece.”

Hayes Ward’s miniature universes are wearable art, but her ambition is to expand her horizons to make public sculpture or ‘jewellery for buildings’; to explore new spaces at a macro scale, rather than just a micro one. She hopes this will also include collaborations at an intermediate level with her partner, furniture maker Laszlo Beckett. She has already made handles for his furniture, and he has engaged for some years with her jewellery business. Entering the second decade of her career, this talented jeweller and designer is determined to keep experimenting. ✦

COMPANY NEWS

THE CLERK’S REPORT

The year 2016 has been one of challenge and change. A dramatically shifting global scene has presented the international community with issues such as political upheaval in the us and elsewhere; the Brexit referendum and its aftermath; old and new forms of terrorist activity; further waves of migration; and growing concerns over cyber security. This has affected the environment in which the Company operates. The most immediate and visible threat has been to the work of the Assay Office, with uncertainty, overseas competition and changing spending patterns driving down the overall volume of uk hallmarking business. The Assay Office deserves great credit for improving its services and processes to remain competitive and viable. Sadly, but inevitably, it has also been necessary to make some further staffing reductions to achieve this. Fortunately, the Company is built on very strong foundations. We are well placed to withstand the immediate challenges, and to mix ambition and prudence in planning for the future to ensure that we maintain our relevance and reach. Since the last Review, the Court has been making good progress in developing its thinking about what the Company should aim to achieve in the decade running up to our 700th anniversary in 2027 and has allocated a substantial budget. It has been enormously helpful to have had so many ideas from the membership. The main lines of big and smaller projects have

begun to emerge, although new suggestions are still coming in and still welcome.

The first major donation made in this framework was towards the construction of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the Triforium of Westminster Abbey –an extraordinary initiative in a unique national institution founded by our patron saint, St Dunstan. When the project is complete in 2018, visitors will be able to see the Company’s involvement acknowledged in a stained glass window listing major donors. During 2016 we also spent a great deal of time in dialogue with the Museum of London about possible Company sponsorship of their new site, which is due to be opened in the old market buildings and underground storage areas in West Smithfield. These conversations led to the announcement in July 2017 of the first of our ‘Big Ideas’ in the 700th anniversary framework: we will be a Founding Partner of the Museum, with a Goldsmiths’ Gallery housing the Cheapside Hoard alongside antique and contemporary treasures from our Collections. The Museum will also provide space for contemporary jewellers and silversmiths in its retail space. This is a further landmark in our long tradition of helping launch great institutions (including Goldsmiths’ College and Imperial College).

The Court has also been able to increase the budgets of the Charity and Education Committees, helping people

in communities in London and around the country. We have also implemented a new Business Growth programme at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, adding to the impressive activity underway there. We have started a badly needed transformation of our creaking it systems. We have run another very successful Goldsmiths’ Fair. And we have been refurbishing the Livery Hall in a two-year programme in 2016 and continuing in 2017. It’s been very busy. There is further cause to celebrate with the election of Judith Cobham-Lowe as the Company’s first female Prime Warden. Some will say it has taken too long. But it has happened now, and the Company will continue to make progress on rebalancing our membership to offer a better reflection of contemporary national society.

I am sorry to report that the year has also seen the passing of some major figures in the life of the Company, including Clive Aston and Richard Vanderpump, past Prime Wardens; and Peter Jenkins, the distinguished soldier, former Clerk and author of Unravelling the Mystery, a history of the Company in the 20th century. And some pillars of the Company staff have retired: notably John Love of the Assay Office, whose contribution over many years included hallmarking the 2012 Olympic medals; and Rosemary Ransome Wallis, who did so much to develop the Collections and encourage contemporary silversmiths.

I can’t end this report without paying tribute to Michael Wainwright’s year as Prime Warden. He made no secret of how worried he was about taking over following Tim Schroder’s highly impressive term. But Michael had a very clear idea of what he hoped to achieve; a real determination to achieve it; an infectious enthusiasm and teamworking ethos that carried others with him; and impeccable judgement in choosing his battles. He has championed greater recognition by the Company of the importance of jewellers and retailers in our community, and of the need to help develop business and leadership skills in the trade. His accountancy expertise has helped us make the most of the Company’s assets and improve our budgeting, enabling the Company to increase its charitable contribution. With tremendous support from his wife Annie, he has cheerfully juggled all the demands of running Boodles with the representational duties of a busy Prime Warden. He has maintained his commitment, judgement and good humour throughout the year. It has been enormous fun to work with him.

Overall, I believe we can look back on 2016 as a highly productive year for the Company, despite the very difficult backdrop. The year 2017 looks set to be another year of impressive achievement, with the Company set to continue to demonstrate that it is a significant contributor to national life.

Previous The Randox Health Grand National Trophy by Shannon O’Neill, 2017, sterling silver, parcel-gilt, crystal JARON JAMES Below The Prime Warden and the Clerk presenting a cheque to the City of London Sheriffs during the Sheriffs’ annual tour of Livery Halls to raise money for charity THE GOLDSMITHS’ COMPANY

DAVID REDDAWAY

ASSAY OFFICE

ACTIVITY

It was a disappointing year for hallmarking in the United Kingdom. The total number of articles hallmarked fell to 9,751,898, a fall of 7.2% compared with the previous year. Gold fell by 6.2%, and silver by 9% but platinum and palladium increased by 2% and 7.2%, respectively. The downturn reflected economic uncertainties (partly as a result of Brexit), a high gold price and exchange rate variations. There still remains little hope of a sustained period of growth. The Brexit decision raises important questions relating to the future of mutual recognition of hallmarks, which is currently controlled through the European Courts of Justice Houtwipper ruling.

London hallmarked 2,751,482 articles which was 12.2% down on last year. London market share was robust.

London has four sub-offices: at Heathrow (the largest), Greville Street (to deal with Hatton Garden trade), Graff Diamonds (in their Mayfair premises) and Allied Gold (in their Dalston premises). In total across all of these sites, 1.88 million articles (75%) were hallmarked. It is amazing to think that Greville Street opened 10 years ago, and the anniversary was celebrated with a party.

A main priority during the year was to improve production efficiency with a view to reducing turnaround time, particularly at the Hall. One of the challenges was to deal with the

complexity introduced through the ever increasing use of multiple layers of packaging around the articles received.

A major restructure resulted in the formation of new teams with dedicated unpackers and re-packers. Significant improvements in turnaround times were achieved. Further improvements are planned for 2017. Quality remains at the heart of everything that the Assay Office does and it retained its accreditation to international standards iso 17025:2005 and its certification to iso 9001:2008. The scopes of these standards were extended to include the Graff Diamonds sub-office.

A full marketing and events programme was organised including ‘Fakes and Forgeries’ seminars, ‘Valuation Days’, ‘Hallmarking Information Days’, ‘Buying Precious Metal’ and other specialist training courses. Training was provided for Sri Lanka customs and for the Sri Lanka Assay Office. The Assay Office had stands at New Designers and

Goldsmiths’ Fair. The Make Your Mark event held at Goldsmiths’ Hall again proved very popular, as did the inaugural Make Your Mark Awards which were given for innovative use of the hallmark in designs or finished pieces of jewellery and silverware. There were many tours of the Assay Office and we were very fortunate that Dave Merry did not lose his voice.

An important aspect of the marketing offering was the launch of the new Assay Office website. The site integrates seamlessly with the Goldsmiths’ Company website but its content is dedicated to customers and those interested in hallmarking. Some of the key improvements include automatic hallnote preparation, incorporating automated pricing calculation and bill payment as well as an enhanced registration facility. All of these features were designed to improve customer experience and increase processing efficiency.

ANTIQUE PLATE COMMITTEE

A total of 44 pieces were examined, of which 16 conformed to the Hallmarking Act. The remainder comprised: six with alterations and additions: four with transposed marks; 15 with counterfeit marks and three were outside the Committee’s jurisdiction.

SUSPECTED OFFENCES

A total six suspected offences against the Hallmarking Act were reported to the Office by Local Authority Trading Standards Officers, which resulted in one prosecution.

STANDARDS COMMITTEES

Chris Walne, the Laboratory Manager, sat on the committee that looks at the modification and introduction of iso standards relating to the testing of precious metal jewellery. New standards are being developed for 999.9 purity precious metals and nomenclature of

white golds. There is a discussion on whether a standard can be produced for the use of xrf for assaying.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON HALLMARKS AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASSAY OFFICES

At one point during the year, the Deputy Warden was the Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman of the International Association of Assay Offices (iaao). This was needed to rescue the organisation owing to the resignation of the Treasurer and Chairman due to unforeseen circumstances. These matters are now resolved and the iaao is in good shape for the future. No new members signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the iaao The Hallmarking Convention is reviewing its future operation and there was some progress at last with the accession of Italy to the Convention.

STAFF

Sara Morrison and David Puckett celebrated 40 years with the Company. Paulette Beharie, Maggie Leach, Caroline Waker and Pat Marston retired during the year.

John Love, the Superintendent Assayer, also retired after 42 years of service. John has played a huge role in the Company and has overseen the most dynamic period of technological change in its history. He was also responsible for setting up the Heathrow, Allied and Graff sub-offices. We thank him for his efforts and wish him well in the future. His role will be taken by Will Evans. Rumour has it that a number of our younger staff have formed a band and recorded a song on the ‘Hallmark Records Label’. Their first single was bought by Heathrow Airport as a bird scarer.

ROBERT ORGAN DEPUTY WARDEN

Opposite page Alex, Andy and Kheni outside the Greville Street office

CHARLOTTE TURNER

Left John Love at his retirement party CHARLOTTE TURNER

EDUCATION

The strategic review of our educational programmes has, after a long gestation, finally matured.

Our two new flagship initiatives, mentioned in last year’s report, both went live last November. The National Theatre’s On Demand online service for Primary schools was launched by Lenny Henry on national television. Its own suitable plays of classical standing are broken down to generate learning resources mapped to the national curriculum, which teachers can then access for their lesson plans. We are covering the data streaming costs of £31,000 p.a. so that 16,700 Primary schools in England (and more in the rest of the uk) and 4.5 million pupils can receive this free of charge. This is an initiative directed at improving literacy. The second programme adopts a similar model with Imperial College and a commercial provider creating Reach Out Reporter, which deconstructs emerging science news stories, explains the science behind them and provides the resources needed for teachers to use them to meet the requirements of the national curriculum. Still in its infancy it is hoped that this will be downloaded by children and parents as well. Our £100,000 p.a. for three years makes this free to all and should enable it to be translated into a worldwide teaching resource which will then make it self-sustaining.

Our latest original idea is to provide financial support to a Multi-Academy Trust of three Primary schools in Gravesend for a specialist maths teacher.

The aim is to try to raise the standards of maths teaching and track the effectiveness of such a dedicated resource. We are giving £50,000 p.a. for four years.

Still in the science arena, we are collaborating with the Royal Society to underwrite a nationwide initiative encouraging teams of students from Secondary schools to engage with science projects and then present their results.

Other programmes started in the previous year are maturing well. The access programme run by Pembroke College, Oxford, has completed its first year of introducing students from State schools to the opportunities of university educations at Oxbridge and other top universities, and results will be seen in the applications submitted this year.

The Museum of London continues to run inspiring experiential classes for children with severe special educational needs.

The results seen from the first year of the Further Maths for teachers course by King’s

College Maths School have been excellent and this continues. Our engagement with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme (60 years old in 2016) has proved highly effective in drawing 80 State schools across the middle swathe of the country into the scheme and giving 50% more teachers than originally planned expedition training and qualifications. An additional £10,000 has been added to the original amount granted.

Late in the year it was decided to make a grant of £23,000 to Teach First for leadership development of teachers in the most disadvantaged schools. We continue with our bursary support of five Guildhall School of Music and Drama students; 12 medical students studying medicine as a second degree; and a St. Paul’s Cathedral School chorister.

It is planned to raise the budget for the 2017-18 financial year to £400,000, which means the Education budget has increased by £100,000 over the past two years.

NICK HARLAND DEPUTY CLERK

CHARITY

The new model of charitable giving has now been in place for a year. Migrating from small one-off grants to larger, multi-year ones has come at the same time as an uplift in the budget to £1m per annum; this means an uplift of £300,000 in the past two years as the Charity’s fortunes have improved. The reduction of the number of meetings has allowed more time to conduct comprehensive research and better due diligence and act in a proactive manner similar to the way we do our educational grant making. The increased budget has allowed us to give more to those charities with which we have longstanding relationships, notably School Home Support with an increase to £30,000 in this, our 25th anniversary year of continuous support. A similar grant was made to r l Glasspool under the ‘Poor Londoners’ programme, and the National Churches Trust grant for the maintenance of church fabric was increased to £50,000. We have long supported the Refugee Council in various ways but this year we have agreed a multi-year grant of £30,000 for two programmes for age-disputed refugees and trafficked children. This year we are supporting two Community Foundations, Calderdale and Two Ridings, each to the tune of £50,000 p.a. for two years. Each has different needs although both believe that these will be met through the recruitment of a Development Manager. In addition to individual organisations we have given another £50,000 to the uk Community Foundation umbrella body

to enable them to conduct a needs analysis in 10 Community Foundations. The core areas on which the Charity is concentrating are the issues surrounding youth; the challenges facing an ageing population; and rehabilitation of prisoners. These are the areas where most of the research work has been done. The youth category has attracted the most support with perennial favourite London Youth being given a grant to extend its membership into outer London boroughs and propagate its Quality Mark programme. We are founding supporters of the Young Brent Foundation as it seeks to organise services within its borough as Local Authority provision in this area is reduced. Elsewhere we are engaged with youth charities aiming to help develop the employability of young people and prevent the disadvantaged from slipping into a life of crime. In the ageing population category we have supported a charity called Silverline, which links volunteers with a huge demographic of lonely old people across the UK through a telephone link which is quite likely to be their only contact with the world; our grant is for £30,000. Another, South London Cares, provides opportunities for young professionals and older people to interact socially and culturally; our support amounts to £18,500 for a volunteer co-ordinator. Finally, in the rehabilitation category, we are funding a pilot scheme with the Prisoners’ Education Trust to create an online programme to help prisoners still inside to learn how to start their own businesses, often the only way for them to become productive at the end of their sentences. Through the Koestler Trust

we also help prisoners to lead more positive lives though participation in the creative arts, the results of which are then exhibited at the Southbank Centre. The Charity departed from its normal modus operandi with a grant of £30,000 for three years to match that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to establish a brand new charity called Feeding Britain. This has arisen through the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group led by Frank Field mp and aims to establish 12 Social Supermarkets around the country. These bring food to those most in need in exchange for a commitment to a range of programmes which seek to bring order to chaotic lives. Minor grants totalling £210,000 were also distributed under the three category headings: General Welfare; Medical Welfare and Disabled; and Culture.

NICK HARLAND DEPUTY CLERK

Opposite The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme

CHARLOTTE ROBERTSON Below Venture Trust’s Next Steps Programme VENTURE TRUST

CRAFT & INDUSTRY

The Craft & Industry Committee, under its Chairman Mr Richard Fox, has had a busy year. After extensive research a decision was made not to pursue the development of a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. However, in April we began a fundamental review of the work of the Committee with the aim of ensuring that the programmes offered by the Goldsmiths’ Company align with those of the Centre and effectively support our partners in the university sector. The review process led the Committee to conclude that whilst our work with skills and technical training is strong and robust, improvements can be made to the work that we undertake at an undergraduate level.

Regular readers of this Review will recognise that while we are able to report a broad range of interventions with those studying for a career within the sector, these have changed little over a number of years. Our successful Getting Started course, Undergraduate Summer School, sponsorship of the New Designers exhibition and Precious Metal Bursaries for final year students happen with a pace and rhythm that we have all come to expect and anticipate. However, the world of education has changed fundamentally over the same period and this has caused us to question whether our approach and the interventions we offer could be made more effective. Recognising that rapid change can create more problems than it solves, the Committee has therefore sanctioned a three-year programme of development, commencing in 2017. This will gradually re-focus our work with partners in Higher

Education to offer targeted interventions that better support their students and reflect their developmental needs and aspirations. This could include professional development opportunities for those teaching on courses; access to specialist tutors and equipment; or support with live projects. Our ultimate aim is to ensure that the charitable funding provided by the Company is used effectively and really benefits those who are aspiring to develop a career within the industry.

Returning to the past year, our apprentices continued their success at the 2017 Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards, securing a number of prizes. Their success is a testament to their hard work; the support provided by their employers; and the quality of training they receive. The Centre had significantly reduced the number of its entries this year in an effort to level the playing field for others. Our alumni won gold and bronze medals at the Skills Show, held at the nec Birmingham in 2016 and went on to secure all three squad places for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. It was also the first time the selection panel visited Birmingham to select competitors and it was great to see the silver medal at this competition going to a competitor from the Birmingham School of Jewellery (bcu). Relationships were also strengthened with bcu as they provided the venue for the first Apprentice Block Release course held outside of London. This took place in September and was led by Mr Andrew Macgowan (freeman) who helped a number of West Midlands based apprentices and undergraduates

to develop their silversmithing skills through a series of technical exercises. This was considered to be a great success and something that we hope to build upon for the future.

Turning to technical matters we were pleased to be able to publish the latest Technical Journal in summer 2016 to complement the online version. This is an area we expect to see significant development around over the coming years, with plans afoot to redevelop the Technology Portal into a rich resource of information and support for those working or aspiring to work in the sector.

In line with many other organisations these changes will lead to the reduction of printed materials such as the Technical Journal that we produce. However our plans will still ensure that those who wish to access materials in more traditional formats can still do so.

The past year has been an exciting and challenging one for the Craft & Industry Committee and we are looking forward to a 2017/18 that reflects the hard work and effort that went into the review process.

PETER TAYLOR DIRECTOR, GOLDSMITHS’ CENTRE

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

The Communications & Marketing Department had a busy 2016 promoting the activities of the Company to members, media and the wider public. The primary accomplishment of the year was relaunching the Goldsmiths’ Company website. Our cleaner, more coherent website is now accessible on traditional desktops and laptops, tablets and your phone. Members have access to exclusive content related to the Freedom and Livery and it is now easier than ever before for the public to find out what’s happening at Goldsmiths’ Hall. The Communications & Marketing team regularly update the website with news about the Company and relevant partners. You can read about all the key moments in the Company Calendar including: the Trial of the Pyx; the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards; the annual start of the new Prime Warden’s tenure; exhibitions and events; important charity initiatives; and Goldsmiths’ Fair.

We typically upload these stories and others onto our Facebook page. You can also stay connected by following the Company’s social media channels:

– Twitter (@GoldsmithsCo);

– Instagram (@GoldsmithsFair);

– Pinterest (@GoldsmithsCo) and

– YouTube (Goldsmiths’ Company).

In 2016 our robust public relations outreach garnered significant media coverage for the range of Company activities in numerous high-profile publications including: Vanity Fair; Newsweek; Professional Jeweller; Retail Jeweller; Jewellery Outlook; Evening Standard; Financial Times; Harper’s Bazaar (Germany); Country

& Town House; BlouinArtinfo,Crafts; The Times; DailyTelegraph; How To Spend It; World of Interiors; ES Magazine; Business Insider; and Spectator Life. We also made an impact on media outlets in Japan, China, Iran, Spain and Macedonia.

The 2016 Goldsmiths’ Fair was once again a major success. One hundred and fifty exhibitors, including 10 Graduate Bursary Winners, were selected from just fewer than 400 applicants. Our Guest Curator Erin O’Connor selected a coherent and fashion-focussed collection of pieces for the front showcase. We also mounted two significant exhibitions which could be viewed by Fair visitors. Barbara Cartlidge and Electrum Gallery was a collection of work by the pioneering ’60s jeweller and gallerist curated by Janice Hosegood and Dr Beatriz Chadour-Sampson. In contrast, Silver: the Dark Side was a display of innovative oxidised silver and mixed-metal work curated by Brian Kennedy.

Each week at the Fair we award a Best New Design Award for a new piece or collection that stands out for its innovative design and excellent craftsmanship. In Week One Max Danger was selected for his witty take on luxury jewellery – specifically his honey bee cluster ring – by jewellery curator and authority Mary LaTrobe-Bateman.

In Week Two, Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of the Crafts Council, selected Patrick Davison for his intriguing mixed-metal container constructed with silver, brass, copper, bronze, and nickel silver. Both winners were Graduate Bursary Award Winners who, in addition

to receiving a free stand, had received a grant of £1,500, a loan of up to £3,000 in silver bullion and customised mentoring through the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Congratulations to them both. Expect to see more changes at Goldsmiths’ Fair 2017 as we continue to innovate and seek to keep the Fair fresh and exciting for new and returning visitors.

Finally, the first annual Goldsmiths’ Lecture dedicated to the exploration of ‘issues relating to Decorative Arts’ took place on 4 May and was given by distinguished historian, David Starkey. Starkey’s provocative lecture ‘When I Hear the Word “Art”, I Reach for My Gun’, argued that the concept of ‘art’ has been so debased by intellectually vapid conceptual work that the term has lost all its meaning. Starkey argues, “It’s time to start over!” A controversial stand and the start of a necessary conversation – exactly what the Goldsmiths’ Company endeavours to do across its many activities.

DAVID MILLS DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Below Filming at Goldsmiths’ Fair RORY LINDSAY

SAM FROST

LIBRARY

The Library’s year got off to an exciting start, with the purchase of a 17th-century goldsmith’s ledger – a rare survival from this fascinating period of history. Whilst most new additions to the archives are gifts, the scholarly importance of this document, combined with the encouragement of public repositories, led us to venture out of the Library and into the heated world of the auction room. The full story can be read on pages 26–27.

One of the first people to use the ledger was Dr David Mitchell. We are delighted to report that a book based on his 15-year study into the Company’s records will soon be published, enabling the wider public to benefit from this long term research project. Silversmiths in Elizabethan and Stuart London, Their Marks and Lives will be a joint publication by the Goldsmiths’ Company and Boydell and Brewer later this year. It will feature more than 400 biographies of silversmiths active during this period, new attributions of makers’ marks and much fascinating contextual information.

While this long-term project may be drawing to a close, Dr Lisa Jefferson’s research into the Register of Deeds continues. It contains transcripts of documents with some examples dating as far back as the 11th century, some of the earliest Company records to survive. The compilation of the Register was first begun in 1417, making this year the 600th anniversary of its inception.

The physical care of the archives this year has included conservation work on the first apprentice book; original designs for furniture in Goldsmiths’ Hall; and the re-housing of four large vellum

documents with seals, enabling them to be handled and studied more easily. Some of the Company’s most prominent works of art have also received expert care. During the summer the frames and canvasses of the portraits of Queen Adelaide, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert that hang in the Livery Hall were taken down, cleaned and restored by conservators as part of the ongoing project to improve the Livery Hall. Our outreach programme has developed further, including more research sessions with the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s apprentices, pre-apprentices, and vocational students from other institutions. We have also hosted visits for specialist academic groups, including Winterthur; Understanding British Portraits; Sotheby’s; bada; and ucl

The aim of these is to promote understanding of goldsmithing (both historic and contemporary) and build links with other relevant institutions.

The past year has also seen the Library provide a new service for the Company’s membership via the launch of the History Group. This scheme has had a very positive response, with lectures on Goldsmiths’ Hall and the Great Fire

of London and the Trial of the Pyx being well attended.

The success of these programmes is encouraging, however a bigger challenge lies ahead to ensure that the Library is able to digitally engage with the wider scholarly and craft community.

The changing expectations of researchers means that making more of our resources available online is essential if we are to remain relevant; doing so also has the benefit of sharing the Library’s wealth of information with an international audience. To this end we are beginning to plan a major project to provide new digital resources based on the Library and Archive holdings. We look forward to reporting more fully on this exciting scheme next year.

A report on the Library’s activities would not be complete without a tribute to two stalwart figures of the Collections and Library Committee who have sadly passed away. Richard Vanderpump, for so long the Chairman of the Committee, oversaw proceedings with both knowledge and a boundless enthusiasm for history. His Assistant’s obituary can be read on page 78. Charlie Truman, a liveryman, also contributed his considerable expert knowledge over many years. Charlie’s extraordinary career began at the V&A and encompassed positions at Christie’s and Asprey. Latterly he operated as an independent dealer. His formidable understanding of a wide range of decorative arts was always imparted with wit and good humour. We are indebted to them both.

ELENI BIDE LIBRARIAN

MEMBERSHIP

It has been another busy year for the Goldsmiths’ Company’s membership with a varied programme of events. As always the Inter-Livery events were enthusiastically attended. In January, Team Goldsmiths headed off to Morzine for the eighth Inter-Livery Skiing event, with Ms Vicky Broackes collecting a medal as the third fastest lady.

The Great xii Sailing Regatta at Seaview in June 2016 was our best ever year, as we won the ‘most improved’ award, the Mermaid keel boat category, and were the overall winner. However we didn’t do so well in the Great 12 Quiz: the gilded spoon has returned to our keeping!

In June, 32 members visited the 30 Squadron base at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. We toured the new A400 aircraft which will replace the Hercules. Sadly the scheduled flight in a Hercules was cancelled because of technical difficulties, but instead everyone had the chance to actually fly the Hercules... albeit in the simulator!

The first annual Goldsmiths’ Quiz Night took place on 31 October (Halloween) with a suitably spooky theme to the questions. Members entered into the spirit, bringing along spiders and bloody hands as props. Lexi Dick’s tail won the prize for best accessory.

Our new affiliation with hms Prince of Wales was cemented at the November Livery Dinner in the presence of the outgoing Lord Mayor. The following Saturday saw torrential rain as the Goldsmiths’ barge, crewed by members of the Company, accompanied the new Lord Mayor in his flotilla for the first time in well over a century from Westminster to Tower Bridge prior to the Lord Mayor’s Show. St. Dunstan, the patron saint of Goldsmiths, led the way in the form of a figurehead made by freeman Mark Gartrell. It now stands in the Court Room. The exciting calendar of members’ events produced by the Membership Events Sub-Committee included, for the very first time, a black-tie dinner

for freemen. This was a resounding success with freemen from all walks of life, both trade and non-trade, mingling under the candle-lit chandeliers. There were also visits to the College of Arms; Ironmongers’ Monday Lunch; and Guildhall Art Gallery. Members were invited to an exhibition of the incredible work of the Russian jeweller Ilgiz Fazulzyanov at Annoushka. We met the jeweller in person, questioning him closely about his techniques and were privileged to handle some of the most exquisite pieces.

This year’s round of fundraising for the Members’ Charitable Fund raised £45,600. The focus for the distribution of funds continues to be on support for the trade and to develop projects which will make a long-term contribution to the industry. This year, among other things, two major projects were chosen: a week-long technical skills training programme for 10 students from baj (formerly Holts Academy) and the Birmingham School of Jewellery; and provision of workbenches at St Marylebone ce Bridge School. The Fund continued to support the provision of toolboxes for apprentices, as well as bursaries, mentoring and short courses for graduates.

This year’s Members’ Charitable Fund Apprentice of the Year Award was presented to Benjamin Pritchard, late apprentice of Mr Harvey Sillis (Emson Haig), by HRH The Princess Royal in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. JAKE EMMETT ASSISTANT DEPUTY CLERK

Opposite Illustration from The Goldsmythes Storehowse by Hannibal Gammon, 1606 RICHARD VALENCIA Below HMS Prince of Wales

CURATORIAL DEPARTMENT

Two recently installed showcases made by Meyvaert of Belgium were used for the first time in the April 2016 exhibition celebrating the career of Charlotte De Syllas, artist jeweller and liveryman. Entitled Charlotte De Syllas: Sculpted Gemstones, the exhibition traced Charlotte’s imaginative artistry in jewellery design and her extraordinary lapidary skill as a goldsmith.

The display of her life’s work included the Company’s collection of her exceptional student work made between 1963-66 at Hornsey College of Art, where she trained under Gerda Flöckinger; the Company’s Millennium Bracelet in white Russian jade and black Wyoming nephrite jade; and the lyrical white nephrite jade Flight necklace, commissioned in 2013.

Generous clients lent their personal pieces, showing the full range of Charlotte’s work, including the famous Magpie necklace. Featuring two magpies flying in different directions, it illustrates the old folk rhyme ‘One for sorrow, two for joy’. Each articulated magpie wing is a triumph in carved jade and labradorite.

Three hundred guests attended the private view. One client from America commented “I love the atmosphere of this new gallery”, whilst Beatriz Chadour, Associate, said it was, “the best exhibition I have seen for years at Goldsmiths’ Hall, showing a great feel for the pieces and sensibility about display.”

Indeed, the front hall is now transformed, into a gallery for such public exhibitions.

The 2017 exhibition on a leading member of the Company is about Leo de Vroomen, liveryman and designer jeweller. Entitled De Vroomen: Harmony in Colour and Form, the display extols the technical and artistic skills of Leo and Ginnie de Vroomen, who as a husband and wife team, have made their De Vroomen brand internationally recognised. The Company too has an international reputation with respect to its contemporary collections of silver and jewellery. The jewellery collection began in 1961, following the major landmark exhibition International Exhibition of ModernJewellery 1890–1961. De Beers subsequently commissioned several major diamond pieces, following its diamond competition, held for the exhibition, and presented these to the Company to form the nucleus of a new Company collection of jewellery. Following a conversation with the Prime Warden, Mr Michael Wainwright, Managing Director of Boodles, who offered part sponsorship, I initiated The Ambassador Diamond Necklace Competition in 2016 for a 2017 diamond necklace for the Collection. Daphne Krinos, whose work is both in the Company’s Collection and in the Victoria and Albert Museum, won with her contemporary design in gold, ruthenium-plated black and set with baguette diamonds. It will take centre stage at the Company’s forthcoming exhibition at the new silver and diamond museum, diva in Antwerp, in 2019.

A recent purchase will also be included in the Antwerp exhibition, extolling British quality of craftsmanship and design. Winning the Gold Award in the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards 2017, Kevin Grey’s sculptural bowl (back cover) uses tig welding to produce an ultra-modern design that is both functional and distinguished. Another new initiative to improve design, which is part of the remit of the Modern Collection Committee, was the launch of the Studio Internship Graduate Award. Four young silversmiths in their late twenties –Dominic Simon, Patrick Davison, Errin Quinn and Hamish Dobbie –gained intensive work experience for 16 weeks with established leading studio silversmiths, who have offered to support this vital training, which cannot be found elsewhere. This award has been life enhancing for these young people, who are determined to make studio silversmithing their career.

It will help ensure that the modern silver movement will continue in this country.

Exhibitions of contemporary silver are essential to engage the public with this beautiful applied art. Britain has now gained a reputation for culinary excellence. The Company’s Dinner

For Two exhibition will, for the first time, show contemporary silver in the context of other applied arts in a domestic setting. It will include a Company commission of silver in the past year: the wire basket by Nan Nan Liu (frontispiece). An added room to the exhibition will have two contemporary dining tables set with modern silver, including cutlery, modern glass, ceramics, and colourful tapestries

on the walls. The public will be able to win an example of domestic silver by one of the silversmiths represented. This exhibition at The Harley Gallery opens on 4 November 2017, then travels to Ruthin Craft Centre in January 2018. The Company’s silver collection has inspired many outside patrons in the past year, such as Randox Health, who commissioned Shannon O’Neill to make the 2017 Grand National Trophy. The Company’s art medal collection has underpinned the importance of this discipline as a unique medium for existing sculptors. To celebrate Michael Sandle RA’s 80th birthday in 2016, Ian Rank-Broadley undertook a portrait medal of this extraordinary man, and the Company acquired a copy. Both eminent sculptors are represented in the Collection. A major art medal commission was given to Julian Cross to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta in 2015. Symbolic of the human right to justice, the obverse and reverse reflect this in their interpretations of this universally regarded document, particularly the prominent figure of Blind Justice. Simple, but effective too, is the portrait of Lord Sutherland in his Prime Warden’s portrait, commissioned last year from Linda Crook. Also acquired from Linda was the Talisman medal, explained by verses from a poem that accompanied the piece: ‘Fortune sits upon my hand, It turns a pebble from the sand, I hold both faces either way, Steps to take me where I may (…..) So hold me close and make me shine, Whichever way you’ll still be mine.’

As a liveryman, the Company will “always be mine”. However, I stepped down from my role as Art Director and Curator of the Company on 24 April. It has been a privilege to be in this position and to be able to act as a facilitator on behalf of the Company, particularly initiating exhibitions, advising on new commissions and helping young people on their journeys as artist craftsmen.

ROSEMARY RANSOME WALLIS

Top Talisman medal by Linda Crook, 2016, sterling silver. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA

Bottom Medal depicting Michael Sandle RA by Ian Rank-Broadley, 2016, sterling silver. Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

MEMBERS OF THE COURT OF ASSISTANTS

Mr M.J. Wainwright, Prime Warden until 17 May 2017

Mrs J.A. Cobham-Lowe, OBE, FRSA, Prime Warden from 17 May 2017

Mr M.C.T. Prideaux, Warden

Mr R.N. Fox, Warden

* Sir Anthony Touche, Bt

* Mr S.A. Shepherd

* The Lord Tombs of Brailes

* Sir Paul Girolami

* The Lord Cunliffe

* Mr B.L. Schroder

* Mr R.P.T. Came

HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB, OM (Honorary Assistant)

Mr B.E. Toye

Mr M. Dru Drury, CBE, FSA

Professor R.L. Himsworth

Mr G.G. Macdonald

Mr R.N. Hambro, CBE

Mr A.M.J. Galsworthy, CVO, CBE, DL

Mr H.J. Miller

The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, KT, FBA, FRSE

Mr R.D. Agutter

Mr W.H.M. Parente, CBE

Mr T.B. Schroder, DLitt, FSA

Mr G.C. Munn, OBE, FSA, FLS

Dame Lynne Brindley, DBE, HonFBA

Mr N.A.P. Carson, OBE

The Lord Bridges, CVO

Mr E.C. Braham

Brigadier Edward Butler, CBE, DSO

Dr C.G. Mackworth-Young, MD, FRCP

Mr T.R.B. Fattorini

Mr E.M. Harley, DL

Mr A.P.A. Drysdale

†

Mr R. Reid

* Retired status

† Mr Reid will take his seat on the Court on a date to be confirmed

THE LIVERY

The following deaths were reported during the year preceded by the year of admission.

1971 Mr Charles Peter de Brisay Jenkins, MBE MC

1981 Dame Jennifer Jenkins, DBE

1964 Mr Andrew George Prideaux, DSC

1980 Mr Miles Edward Rotherham

1974 Mr Alexander George Eugene Wilson Styles

2007 Mr Charles Henry Truman

1987 The Duke of Westminster, KG CB CVO OBE TD CD DL

The following freemen were elected to the Livery and duly clothed during the year.

Mr N J G Harland

Mr D I Merry

Mr H J Parente

NEW FREEMEN

July 2016 to April 2017

By Special Grant

Dalbir Singh Claire Assistant IT Manager, The Goldsmiths’ Company

Sir David Reddaway, KCMG MBE The Clerk, The Goldsmiths’ Company

Timothy John Roberts Financial Reporting, The Goldsmiths’ Company

By Redemption

Kate Elizabeth Hannah Brown Sales Consultant, Boodles

William John Coupland Director, Saunders & Shepherd

Leonardus Johannes Maria de Vroomen Goldsmith & jeweller

William Kevin Fox Sales Director, Toye, Kenning & Spencer

Elizabeth Leocadia Galton Creative Director, Mappin & Webb

Zita Ellinor Gibson Director, Christie’s

Simon Johnson Jeweller

Josef Koppmann Jeweller

Jeffrey Jones Lassaline Valuer, Christie’s

Clare Elizabeth McCarty Company Director

Afsheen Nawaz Deputy Headteacher

The Rt Hon. George Gideon Oliver Osborne Newspaper Editor

Daisy Margherita Amelia Parente Company Director

Pravin Amritlal Pattni Specialist jeweller

Charles Christopher Prideaux Investment banker

Simon Richard Rainer Management Consultant

Rachel Mary Sandby-Thomas CB Registrar, Warwick University

Jonathan Luke Schrager Historical researcher & Antique dealer

Arabella Claire Felicity Slinger Corporate Financier

Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn Sculptor

Caroline Susan Viles Royal Air Force Officer

By Patrimony

Alexandra Patricia Cawte daughter of David Ernest Cawte, Liveryman

Jonathan Henry Ernest Cawte son of David Ernest Cawte, a Liveryman

Edward Francis Rowland Threlfall son of Richard William George Threlfall, a Liveryman

By Service

Taylor Ansell son of Mark Ansell and late apprentice of Neil Thomas Battes (Cartier UK Ltd)

Jack Reginald Elliot son of Reginald Hugh Elliot and late apprentice of Samantha Marsden (Sam James Ltd)

Bradley George Humphreys son of George David Humphreys and late apprentice of Alister Theodore Fennell (Theo Fennell Ltd)

Jennifer Louise Kata

daughter of Ronald Gordon Smith and late apprentice of Anton Johannes Kata (Kata Wearable Art)

BINNEY MEDAL WINNERS

The Binney Award Winner for 2016 was Darren Hinchliffe

COMMITTEES

ANTIQUE PLATE

Mr R.N. Fox Chairman

Mr T. B. Schroder

Mr N.V. Bassant

Mr A.J. Butcher

Mr D.E. Cawte

Mr A.J. Dickenson

Mrs K. Jones

Mr T. Martin

Mrs L.M. Morton

Mr P. B. Waldron

Mr H. Williams-Bulkeley

Mr H. Willis

ASSAY OFFICE MANAGEMENT

Mr G.G. Macdonald Chairman

Mr R.D. Agutter

Mr N.A.P. Carson

Mr R. Reid

Mr R.E. Southall

Mr M.R. Winwood

CHARITY

Mr A. M. J. Galsworthy Chairman

Mr A.P.A. Drysdale

Mr S.A. Shepherd

Mrs B.B.R. Cluff

Mr W.N.N. Diggle

Mr R.G. Ford

Dr M. Harbord

Miss E.K. Himsworth

Mr J.B.A. Holt

The Hon. Dr Elisabeth Martin

The Revd Dr A. McCormack

Mr R. O’Hora

Mr J.R. Polk

COLLECTION AND LIBRARY

Professor R.L. Himsworth Chairman

Mr M.D. Drury

Mr H.J. Miller

Mr T.B. Schroder

Mr R. A. Cornelius

Dr K. Jensen

Mr A.E. Turner

COMMUNICATION & MARKETING

Mr M. C. T. Prideaux Chairman

Mrs J.J. Clark

Mr G. Courtauld

Miss A. M. O. Durnford

Mr A. Jacobs

Miss D.M.A. Parente

Miss J. B. Springer

Miss R. van Rooijen

CRAFT AND INDUSTRY

Mr R.N. Fox Chairman

Mr T.R.B. Fattorini

Mr S.A. Shepherd

Mr A.J. Bedford

Mr W.T. Edgerley

Mr B.D. Hill

Mr G. Last

Miss J.B. Springer

EDUCATION

The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood Chairman

Dame Lynne Brindley

Mr J.D. Buchanan-Dunlop

Dr V.V. Lawrence

Dr J.K. Maxton

Dr J.F. Newman

The Hon. Mrs Meg Sanders

Mr R.G. Straker

The Lady Willoughby de Broke

FOOD AND WINE COMMITTEE

Mr E.C. Braham Chairman

Mr G.G. Macdonald

Mrs J.J. Clark

Mr G.J. Hambro

Mr T.D. Nalder

Mr E.C. Wakefield

GOLDSMITHS’ REVIEW BOARD

Mr. M.J. Wainwright Chairman

Mrs J.A. Cobham-Lowe

Sir David Reddaway

Mr N.J.G. Harland

Ms. E.R. Bide Editor

Mr D.M. Mills

Mrs S.K. Tobin Assistant Editor

HOUSE

Mr H.J. Miller Chairman

Mr R.P.T. Came

Mr M.D. Drury

Mrs N. Buchanan-Dunlop

Mr W. J. Fisher

Miss J. F. C. Goad

Miss J. Hardy

Mr G. Harris

Mr A.M. Moss

Mr N. Cox Consultant Architect

Mr J. Witts Hall Surveyor

INVESTMENT

Mr R.N. Hambro Chairman

Mr N.A.P. Carson

Mr W.H.M. Parente

Mr U.D. Barnett

Mr W. Hill

Sir Stuart Lipton

Mr R.R. Madeley

Mr E. Wakefield

MEMBERSHIP

Mr R. D. Agutter Chairman

Mr T.R.B. Fattorini

Mr T.P.R. Came

Mr P.E.M. Fuller

Miss V.E.G. Harper

Mr M.S.A. Magnay

Mr J.R. Skeates

Miss S.C. Trillwood

Mr S. Webster

MODERN COMMITTEE

Mr M.D. Drury Chairman

Mr G.C. Munn

Mr A.P.A. Drysdale

Miss V.R. Broackes

Mr C.E. Burr

Mr J.A. Cross

Miss O.D. Krinos

OBITUARIES

CLIVE ASTON TD FGA

A COUPLE OF DAYS WORKING together in the hot and dusty vaults of the Westminster Bank, probating the family silver, proved a good way to start a friendship. Tessiers were our family jewellers, so when my father died in 1963 I turned to them. And it was Clive who turned up.

Clive Aston was born into a military family. Life at boarding school was interspersed with school holidays in Baghdad, where his father had become a Government Adviser. So it was not surprising that after Marlborough he opted for a short service commission rather than national service. His time with the 17/21 Lancers took him back to the Middle East for the last and difficult days of the Palestine Mandate. He returned to civilian life in 1948 but

remained a keen Territorial ‘Sharpshooter’, in due course being awarded the td

Although he hankered to be an engineer, his uncle Herbert Parsons (also a Prime Warden of this Company) invited Clive to join the family business: Tessiers, the Bond Street jewellers. There he spent his working life, from a junior licking stamps through Managing Director to the Chairmanship when Herbert Parsons retired in the 1970s. His energy and contacts drove the business forward.

In 1979 he was elected to the Court of our Company, rising rapidly to become Prime Warden only nine years later. His fine Prime Warden’s portrait medal shows him full-face, perfectly capturing his character. He was a man of great vigour, and forthright. Jewellers know it’s the grit in the oyster that makes the pearl. The same is true of organisations. Clive didn’t know circumlocution. In Court he spoke directly, though always with courtesy. He made us stop and think.

The reverse of his medal embodies a helicopter rotor. “If someone has a decent silver collection, then they usually have a lawn big enough to land a helicopter on.” Clive was an ardent pilot, and this way he could visit more than one far-flung customer in a day. By more conventional means he also shuttled across the Atlantic to Tessiers’ American customers. In London he was an active member of the Bond Street retailers, but even in that sophisticated milieu the unconventional could occur. With a chuckle he spoke of one customer who didn’t believe in banks, and wanted to put his wealth into jewellery. When the selection was complete the customer carpeted the table with £5 and £10 notes. Cash only.

It is rare to have a retailer Prime Warden. The Company has had to wait 27 years for a successor to Clive. Yet it’s no good having brilliant silversmiths and jewellers if nobody buys their work. To sell someone else’s creation you have to enthuse and educate your customers. Clive had passion and expertise, so could do both. He brought the same to all that he touched.

He married Cherry Wheeler, and at home near Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire, they not only raised a family but excelled in their respective country pursuits: he, as an outstanding game shot; she, as a Hunt Chairman. The latent engineer in him found an outlet in his Aston Martins, and in restoring – and then racing – veteran cars. In one, a Talbot, he and Cherry competed in the Brighton Run eight times. They travelled widely, including the Southern Hemisphere: South Africa, South America, The Antipodes. It was a full life. However, in time that energetic body began to let him down, his legs, in particular. Before lunches and dinners at the Hall he would sit on a sofa in the drawing room, with his friends beside him, chatting. One day he said: “My legs really aren’t good. I think this will be my last visit to the Hall.” And so we lost him from our sight, and the Court lost his insights. But we remember his vigour, his chuckle, and his great commitment to this great Company. ✦

ROGER CUNLIFFE

RICHARD VANDERPUMP

RICHARD VANDERPUMP WAS AN ebullient, life-enhancing and larger-thanlife character. He was also an extraordinarily dedicated, serious and active member of the Company. So much so, that it is easy to forget that the Goldsmiths was only one of his many affiliations and interests. He was a leading member of the London silver trade, a pillar of the Silver Society and a member of two other livery companies.

Born in Kent and educated at Tonbridge School, Richard did his National Service (compulsory in the post-war years) with the raf before joining the family firm in 1949.

c j. Vander Ltd was at that time the leading producer of hand-forged flatware in the country, but the manufacturing silver trade was in a deep recession after the war and Richard had to spend much of his time travelling abroad trying to develop export markets. He also diversified into the field of antique silver, which had the considerable advantage of not attracting purchase tax and where he carved out a significant business as a wholesale supplier to the antique trade. By the 1970s, when I first knew him, Richard, along with other notables such as Tom Lumley, Hugh Jessop, Michael Rossi and Mrs How, was widely respected as a fine connoisseur of old silver.

The demands of running a manufacturing business in Sheffield and a busy antique and modern sales outlet in Hatton Garden would have been quite enough for most people, but not for Richard. He loved the wider world of silver too and many of his outside interests had this connection. For some 25 years he acted as honorary secretary to the Silver Society; he was a member of the British Hallmarking Council, vice-chairman of the British Antique Dealers’ Association and chairman of the

Goldsmiths’, Silversmiths’ & Jewellers’ Benevolent Society. He also served as Master of the Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers’ and the Tobacco Pipe Makers’ Companies.

Like most Prime Wardens of the Goldsmiths, Richard found his year in office (1998-99) demanded nothing short of complete commitment. But he did not take relinquishing the chair as an excuse for retirement and continued as actively as ever, chairing at various times the Collections & Library Committee, the Assay Office Management Committee and the Antique Plate Committee.

Another important aspect of Company life that Richard took equally seriously was the business of dining. He seldom missed a livery dinner and to be placed next to him was always a guarantee of a memorable and amusing evening. Even at the very end of his life, after he had retired to Somerset and when he and his wife Gail were both plagued by ill health, he was still a regular attender.

Richard

at the wheel of ‘AX201’, the most famous Rolls Royce Silver Ghost

Never short of a firm view on most political issues, Richard was a stalwart supporter of the Conservative Party and even though one did not always share his views, the conviction with which he expressed them made them almost irresistible. But dedicated though he was to his work and his wider interests, he was above all a great family man. Married three times, he clocked up an impressive progeny of three children, five step-children, 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The highlight of the family Christmas was always the Boxing Day theatre outing, for which he had to hire a coach.

Very sadly, Gail and Richard both died last August, Richard suffering a major stroke just 10 days after Gail’s death. He died a few days later. ✦

TIMOTHY SCHRODER

PETER JENKINS

1923–2017 C lerk 1975 – 1988

WHO DIED IN February, was commissioned in the Royal Engineers at the age of 19 in May 1943. By the end of the year he had joined the eighth Army at the start of its slog up the spine of Italy. When the allied armies broke out into the Lombardy Plain in April 1945, Peter’s troop was tasked with clearing mines and building a Bailey bridge on one of the assault routes. Despite heavy enemy fire the mission was accomplished and he was awarded an immediate Military Cross. After the war he stayed in the army and once home again he married Joan in 1949; they would enjoy 67 years together. Overseas postings followed and in 1959–60 he served on the staff in Kenya at the end of the Mau Mau emergency, for which he was awarded an mbe

Later he was posted to the directing staff at the army staff college, and then to command an engineer regiment in Germany where he was one of a batch of outstanding Sapper commanding officers all destined for high rank. However, having been promoted to full colonel after command, Peter left the army and in 1968 was appointed Assistant Clerk to Walter Prideaux, the last of the dynasty of Prideaux Clerks.

The 1970s and ’80s were heady times for the Goldsmiths’ Company. A necessary period of post-war recovery and retrenchment was over and the Company could spread its wings. A boom in imported gold jewellery led to the expansion of the Assay Office – its staff increasing to over 200. Breaking new ground, the Company was also championing a wave of brilliant designer-makers. Peter passionately supported both these objectives as well as the wide range of the Company’s other activities, and after becoming Clerk in 1975 he was responsible for ushering in a series of innovations. Some, like the introduction of women onto the livery or the acquisition of a mainframe computer, might seem commonplace today, but in their time were radical ideas and hotly debated. Here Peter’s calm operational skills and vision, his charm and his sense of humour were all critical ingredients in the decisionmaking processes.

The manufacturing sector of the trade was experiencing challenges in a rapidly changing marketplace and the need to harness new technology. The Company’s Director of Research, Peter Gainsbury, had been helping in this area for some time, but in 1981 Peter saw the need to draw Gainsbury and his assistant Chris Walton into the heart of the Company to form the Design

and Technology Department with an expanded remit. This change of emphasis was not universally popular and led to a resignation from the Court, but in time the new department became the acorn from which the highly successful Goldsmiths’ Centre has now grown. No such controversy surrounded his decision to initiate the annual Goldsmiths’ Fair.

Although he did not see it through to fruition, Peter was the mastermind behind the planning for the major renovation of the Hall in 1988–90. Following his retirement in 1988 he might have been content just to indulge his passion for Wagner and his visits to Bayreuth in Germany, where his charm melted the formidable guardian of the ticket allocations. Instead, in the run-up to the Single Market, he wrote on behalf of the Company an important pamphlet setting out the positions on hallmarking of the 12 member states and arguing for a concerted approach by the trade to retain the principle of compulsory thirdparty testing. He would have been an ideal person to orchestrate that approach, but he had already nailed his colours to the mast by opposing the 9-carat gold standard, a red line so far as the trade was concerned. Later he was asked to write the history of the Company in the 20th century, and his masterly account Unravelling the Mystery remains required reading for anyone wanting to understand the modern Goldsmiths’ Company. It also stands as a memorial to one of its great servants. ✦

ROBIN BUCHANAN-DUNLOP

PETER JENKINS,

EVENTS PRINCIPAL OFFICERS

Clerk Sir David Reddaway, KCMG MBE

Deputy Clerk

Mr. N.J.G. Harland

Deputy Warden

Dr. R.M. Organ

Director, Goldsmiths’ Centre

Mr. P.J. Taylor

Director of Finance

Mr. R.W.J. Preece

Librarian

Miss E.R. Bide

Grants Manager

Miss C.A. Brown

Superintendent Assayer

Mr. W.A.J. Evans

Communications Manager

Mr. F.M. Macdonald

Hallkeeper

Mr. R.T. McCrow

Director, Communications and Marketing

Mr. D.M. Mills

Personnel Manager

Ms. H. Marks

PRINCIPAL ADVISERS

Consultant Architect

Mr. N. Cox

Property Solicitor

Mr. M. Swainston

Company Surveyor

Mr. P. Apace

Please check

website

Hall Surveyor

Mr. J. Witts

ASSAY OFFICE FIGURES 2016