I have been invited by the Victorian Society to speak on arts and crafts silver. My lecture “Victorian arts and crafts silver: Innovation and influence” will be similar to the one I gave to the Silver Society a few months ago that is hosted on my website. This new lecture will, however, give particular focus to the Victorian period and include my thoughts on Christopher Dresser’s contribution to this early metalwork. If you wish to see the lecture, full details can be found at this link. It is on Tuesday 18th May at 7.00pm. There is a small fee to view the lecture that goes wholly to the Society to fund its activities.

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Just my second newsletter of the year. This covers my forthcoming lecture to the Victorian Society plus a number of new listings. Click on this link to read.

Very excited to just find this reference to the first Liberty May 1899 Cymric exhibition. From “The Gentlewomen” 20th May 1899. I have been lucky enough to handle some of Knox’s earliest Cymric silverwork dating from this exhibition. Typically lacking in his notable modernist Celtic style, it nevertheless is highly radical for its time, with hints of his more dramatic work to come. See these links to explore such pieces.

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An excellent lecture on the Spittle’s influence on Gustav Stickley given at the 2016 American national arts and crafts conference is now online at this link. To see a rare work in silver by the Stickley’s for sale at the Peartree Collection click on this link.

For those that missed it, on yesterday’s British Antiques Roadshow (Sunday 21 Feb) were two wonderful arts and crafts necklaces. One identified as John Paul Cooper (I think maybe Henry Wilson) and one by HG Murphy (interestingly with very Nossiter like leaves). Click on link to view the full TV clip.

A new photo from the archives of Harry Peach, of Leicester School of Art and Dryad, provides further evidence linking a special tea caddy in the Collection (now sold) to the Leicester School of Art. More information can be found at this link.

I have just released my February newsletter covering my latest research and new items for sale. It can be seen at this link if you wish to subscribe please click here.

I am delighted to have assisted Liverpool Museums with their acquisition of the Collection’s Lily Day watercolour. More details at this link . Thanks to the Decorative Arts Society for their help in enabling this purchase.

I have a fondness for 1940’s and 1950’s British silver. In many ways the history of silver in this period was a replay of the 1890-1900’s art s and crafts movement. that so attracts me. Small design led workshops battled to succeed and in so doing produced wonderful innovative pieces that inspired later generations. I have just listed a tea and coffee set that epitomises these themes. and is a gloriously heavy well designed well made complete set. More details at this link.

Somewhat belatedly I have realised that the Bromsgrove Guild fish plaques that I acquired and sold last year were copies, or at least inspired by, Hokusai woodblock prints. Who would have thought, Japan influences the Bromsgrove Guild.