A modern silver and enamel box by Ralph Rowe

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A rare piece by little known silversmith Ralph Rowe (1953–2012) .  I have been able to piece together a little on Rowe.  I am unclear where he trained but he taught at Loughborough University c 1980, and then opened his own jewellers in Devon, pieces by him are rare.

This is an especially nice box with enamel finial to the lid and in the arts and crafts style with rivets holding the enamelled finial to the lid.  The casket is fully hallmarked for London 1996.  The box is a good gauge and in excellent condition.

Ralphe (Ralph) John Rowe was born in June 1953 . He grew up with a strong connection to Cornwall, England, and was “very proud of his heritage” according to friends . He pursued formal training in silversmithing and jewellery design during the 1970s.  Around 1980, in his late twenties, Ralphe Rowe served as a lecturer in the silversmithing and jewellery program at Loughborough University (then known as Loughborough College of Art & Design). This was a time when Loughborough offered a dedicated course in Silversmithing and Jewellery Design, and Rowe was part of the faculty teaching handcraft techniques to a new generation of designers.

Rowe left Loughborough in c 1990 and returned to full-time practice as a silversmith and “jobbing jeweller”, focusing on creating and repairing pieces for clients. By the early 1990s he had re-established himself in Cornwall, operating as a craftsman in his own right. He is described as a “Master Goldsmith” by those who worked with him , highlighting his high level of skill. Working from his workshop (eventually a retail studio in Par, Cornwall, opened in 1997). Official records list his occupation simply as “Silversmith Jeweller,” reflecting his dual expertise . He incorporated a business, Ralph Rowe Jeweller Limited, in 2003 , formalizing the operation of his workshop.

One tangible legacy of his affiliations is the success of those he trained. The Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery, founded by his apprentice Lisa Cain in 1995, can be seen as an outgrowth of Rowe’s influence in the local craft community . Through Cain and other students, Rowe’s methods and ethos have been passed down, which is an enduring affiliation in spirit if not by name.

Maker: Ralph Rowe

Designer: Ralph Rowe (presumed)

Date: 1996

Marks: RJR, London, w

Material: Silver, enamel

Condition: Excellent.

Size: 16 cm long x 8 cm wide x 9 cm high

Weight: 17.7 oz, 502 grams