Anthony Bernbaum, founder The peartree collection

Remarkably the large Artificers Guild silver and copper biscuit box I have for sale has just come to light in a BBC documentary on modern Britain. An identical box (conceivably this one) features in a c 1960 film clip of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan’s office in Downing Street. It can be seen on the table behind him in “other images” of my product write-up at this link.  This clip is from the BBC’s documentary “A history of modern Britain”, second episode. Thanks to Dave at www.hammerandhand.co.uk. for spotting this!

I thought that might get your attention – nothing to do with going on a long drive. I have ex poste, updated my paper on Knox’s “cloisonne opal” designs to include a discussion whether it would have been more appropriate to call his technique “champleve opal”. I feel either, or both, are equally fair to use. Additionally I have since found a Rene Lalique brooch using the same technique and dating to c 1900 giving the tantalising possibility that Knox was influenced by Lalique, or better still, the other way round (see Fig 8a of the revised paper). See this link to get to the new paper.

3D images of all the ancient crosses on the Isle of Man that so inspired Archibald Knox are now online. They can be viewed at this link . As is often the case I am grateful to the Archibald Knox Forum for this information.

Inspired by my latest purchase of a Knox pendant I have published some thoughts and insights on a genre of Knox’s work that is perhaps his most radical – what I have called “Cloisonne opal”. It can be found at this link (updated Sunday 24th May). I have since updated further. To see the 31st May paper click here

The purchase of a stunning ceramic and silver bowl marked FAE has lead me to publish new research on Edwardes, best known as the design head of the Duchess of Sutherlands Cripples Guild from 1907-1921. See this link for details.

I am delighted to see that the Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, is now displaying two items previously in The Peartree Collection. A wonderful Archibald Knox Liberty Cymric box with large turquoise and a very special tea caddy and spoon designed by Herbert and Frances Macnair.

Just listed is a piece of such unequivocal Knox design that is one of the only, maybe the only, known piece that unequivocally provides a link between Knox, the Silver Studio, and the early Cymric range.  Speaking as someone who championed Oliver Baker and Haseler as the true originators of the Cymric range I think this unequivicollay shows the Cymric range had its roots in London, with Liberty and the Silver Studio, as well as Birmingham and Haseler and Baker.  It is priced accordingly.

When I first started out as a dealer in antique silver, without doubt the hardest aspect of my new career was photography. I tried using professional photographers but they were expensive, involved frustrating delays and ultimately took photos that I was not very happy with. It turns out photographing silver is just about the hardest thing to do in the world of photography. It requires a specialist professional photographer – not easy to find. It is not just the myriad of reflections you have to deal with, but getting silver to look like clean shiny silver in a photograph is in fact very tricky. Over the past five years I have crawled up, as well as down, the learning curve. I have reached the point where I am finally satisfied with most of my photographs. By popular demand, and with the time and boredom created by “lock-down”, I thought I would share my experience for others’ benefit. This write up is full of links so that you can see what I mean by clicking on highlighted blue areas. There is a photo of my set up at the end of this article. I am still learning, and if anyone would like to offer improvements to this approach, do please let me know.

Celebrating Archibald Knox’s birthday with this old clip from the BBC of his blue plaque unveiling in 2014, featuring yours truly!

I have posted a research project of mine – a wonderful silver pill box by Child and Child. See link. A mystery gift from a lover. Can you help? Something to amuse during lockdown I hope. Thank you. Anthony