I am delighted to have a collection of modern and contemporary silver for sale by several of Britain’s leading silversmiths.  See items A1317-A1324.  The link between these contemporary silversmiths and my more typical arts and crafts pieces is very close.  Both represent artistic workshop design and many of today’s leading silversmiths were trained at institutions whose origins and ethos date to the arts and crafts period.

This bowl dates to 2005 and is a rare and early example of Shimara Carlow’s work.  Shimara is now a fulltime jeweller and silversmith based in Australia – see link.  Shimara completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Jewellery and Silversmithing) at Glasgow School of Art in 2001. She then undertook a two year silversmithing and jewellery residency at the P&O Makower Trust Workshops at Bishopsland, Oxfordshire.  After establishing her career in London, with numerous national and international exhibitions, including The V&A (London), Saatchi Gallery (London), Aaron Faber Gallery (New York), and Alternatives Gallery (Rome), Shimara moved to Melbourne in 2008, where she set up a studio.

The bowl was one of her earliest hand raised works whilst training at Bishopsland, England.  The bowl must have taken some work, as it is of a very heavy gauge of silver.  Like much of her work, Shimara has given the bowl a subtle mat patina, also leaving the silver quite white and unpolished.  The overall effect is striking.  The bowl’s base is deliberately angled off centre.  It is a very beautiful object and wonderful “in the hand”.

Price range: Sold

Maker: Shimara Carlow

Designer: Shimara Carlow

Date: 2005

Marks: SC, Edinburgh, “f”

Material: Sterling silver

Condition: Excellent

Size: 12 cm diameter, 14.0 cm high

Weight: 19.3 oz, 547 grams