Price range: Sold

For sale is this rare Liberty & Co Cymric silver bowl standing on four unusual feet, with a heart shaped opening surrounded by a scrolling “thorn” design.  Significantly this bowl is hallmarked with the earliest possible date for Cymric silver of London 1898, date letter “c”.

The design of this bowl appears in the first illustrated Liberty catalogue dated c 1900, page 59, Number 2 – see images.  The rare London date of 1898 means this piece would have been in the very first Liberty Cymric catalogue published in May 1899 (not illustrated). I am now confident this bowl is infact “Edron” (no longer “Edred”) exhibit 2 in that catalogue described as follows:

“Plain hammered surface supported on four feet.  The mouth or  opening is emphasized by a chased scroll in moderate relief.   Height 2 1/4 inches.”

The bowl is model 2005 in the Liberty Silver Sketch book and sits alongside sketches of  five other bowls (exhibits 1-6) in the May 1899 Cymric catalogue, page 28.

Edron would seem to be a river in Tuscany, Italy.

I am confident the design is by Archibald Knox. Whilst unlike Knox’s later more accomplished designs this bowl exhibits several classic features of Knox’ work. The thorn like design to the rim has Knox classic “kinks” as do the unusual legs. The accentuated bowl like shape is in keeping with Knox’s other designs in the May catalogue.

I have  written about these early pieces before, notably A513 and and in my article “Origins of the Liberty Cymric range“.

Condition is excellent.  Originally, according to the 1899 Cymric catalogue, these pieces were not highly polished.  Over the years that patina has been lost.

Maker: Liberty & Co

Designer: Archibald Knox (attrib)

Date :  1898

Marks: Ly& Co Liberty mark, London,  “c”

Material: Sterling silver

Condition: Excellent

Size: 6.0 cm high, 11.0 cm max diameter

Weight : 213 grams, 7.5 oz