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Black, white, gilt, frosted, pearled and other tinted silver
On December 17th, 2009 John Culme wrote on the subject of Uncategorized.
the Goodwood Cup of 1869, Edward Barnard & Sons, London, 1869, for the retail goldsmith, J.W. Benson of 25 Old Bond Street, London, ‘a magnificent Old English Silver Tankard and Cover, modelled by Mr. J.E. Boehm, the subject being taken from Frith‘s celebrated painting of ”The Derby Day,” [it] is wrought out with consummate skill, both in the modelling and chasing, the figures being oxidized on a pearl white back-ground… (Jackson’s Oxford Journal, Oxford, London, Saturday, 31 July 1869, p. 3e)
The image on the right shows the piece as it was in 1977; that on the left as it probably originally appeared in 1869.
(photo: courtesy of Sotheby’s, London: Mentmore sale, 23 May 1977, lot 1666)
Looking at the photograph in my last blog of Hunt & Roskell’s display at the 1862 International Exhibition, one could be forgiven for thinking that the lighting was amiss; the silver is so snowy white. In fact, this image records perfectly how most display plate would have appeared . The prevailing fashion was to ‘colour’ silver in some way, either by frosting (as in the Hunt & Roskell display) or by combinations of gilding, partly gilding (known as parcel-gilding), pearling or oxidizing, the latter producing a black surface.
Techniques for colouring silver (and gold) were developed in antiquity and have been used in various ways ever since. In modern times, the silversmith’s everyday repertoire included interesting finishes for his work. Silver-gilt, because of its relative durability, has survived in great quantities; but silver objects treated with heat, acids or other agents to produce black, white and coloured tints are much more delicate. A rare 1760s, London-made blackened silver cup appeared at auction a few years ago only to create confusion because its unusual colour was nearly mistaken for ordinary tarnish.
Some French and Russian silversmiths at the Great Exhibition of 1851 caused considerable comment for their unusual oxidized work, whereas English silversmiths relied mostly on the contrast of brightly polished areas juxtaposed with dead white frosting.
The possibility of colouring silver may not be familiar to many, but Richard Hughes and Michael Rowe have dealt splendidly with the subject in their book, The Colouring, Bronzing and Patination of Metals (1991).
two marine pattern silver salts in the manner of Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771),
created with naturalistically-coloured silver crayfish and crab by Smith & Harris, manufacturing goldsmiths and silversmiths, London, and shown at the ‘Supermodels’ exhibition, Goldsmiths’ Hall, 2001
(photo: courtesy of Smith & Harris, London)
- various items from the workshops of Hunt & Roskell and Edward Barnard & Sons are currently listed on myfamilysilver.comÂ
A tale of two supper parties
On July 16th, 2009 myfamilysilver wrote on the subject of Uncategorized.
One day in 1906 a writer for the The Sporting Times strolled into the London shop of The Goldsmiths’ & Silversmiths’ Co Ltd (not to be confused with the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths), to buy some little silver and enamel boxes. These were meant for the guests to a Guy Fawkes supper party he was to host on 5 November at the famous Romano’s restaurant in the Strand.
His purchases secured, he was taken aside by a director of the shop who showed him a special order, recently completed by its Silver Department. It took the form of a miniature silver dining table, its silver ‘table cloth’ being engraved with facsimile signatures of the distinguished cast then playing at the Haymarket Theatre in a revival of F. Anstey‘s successful comedy, The Man from Blankley’s. This intriguing object, exactly the kind of piece at which The Goldsmiths’ & Silversmiths’ Co’s craftsmen excelled, was about to be presented to the author, the table itself being a reference to the play’s climactic supper party scene.
And what of the Guy Fawkes night supper? Fun was had by all, we are told, and the little boxes were greatly appreciated by the lady guests, most of whom were young actresses. One in particular, ‘a dear little soul from La Belle France,’ was the fascinating Gaby Deslys, the soon-to-be grande passion, and recipient of showers of costly jewellery, of Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridge’s department store in Oxford Street, which this year celebrates its centenary.
See here for pieces by The Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. currently listed at myfamilysilver.com
The cast of F. Anstey's The Man from Blankley's, revived at the Haymarket Theatre, London, 24 March 1906
John Culme, who for many years has been connected with Sotheby's Silver Department, is author of several books and articles, including The Directory of Gold and Silversmiths, 1838-1914, published in 1987, and co-author with Nicholas Rayner of The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor. He is also a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths' Company, London.
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