A set of six Alexander Ritchie silver galleon buttons

Price: £675

A set of six Alexander Ritchie Iona silver galleon buttons.  A rare early set dated 1908, Chester, with Saunders & Sheperd mark.  Ritchie did not register hs own mark until 1910, and prior to this it is recognised his pieces carry the Saunders Sheperd mark with whom he is presumed to have collaborated.

Alexander Ritchie (1856–1941) was a highly influential Scottish silversmith, craftsman, and entrepreneur who became a central figure in the Scottish Celtic Revival movement. Alongside his wife, Euphemia, he established a famous workshop that blended traditional Celtic motifs with the late 19th-century Arts and Crafts style. Ritchie was born in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull but moved to the Isle of Iona as a young boy. He initially trained as a marine engineer and spent over twenty years traveling the world with the British India Steam Shipping Company.

However, his seafaring career was abruptly cut short after he suffered a severe leg injury during a shipwreck in the West Indies. Forced to return to land, Ritchie secured a seasonal job as the official custodian and tourist guide for the historic ruins of Iona Abbey. During the winter off-seasons, he enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art. There, he met skilled artist Euphemia “Effie” Thompson, whom he married in 1898. In 1900, the couple permanently settled on Iona and opened a crafts hut and workshop, eventually building the commercial brand “Iona Celtic Art”.

The Ritchies drew direct inspiration from the island’s ancient heritage, replicating intricate patterns found on Iona’s historic stone crosses, grave slabs, and early Christian illuminated texts like the Book of Kells. While Alexander is most famous as a silversmith making brooches, rings, and kilt pins, the couple also produced items in brass, copper, hand-carved wood, leather, and textiles.  Beyond traditional Celtic knots, their silverwork frequently featured Norse galleys and Viking ships sailing on sea-blue enamel.

Their business became highly successful. To keep up with demand from tourists, they trained young islanders and later outsourced casting designs to commercial factories in Birmingham and Glasgow. Both Alexander and Euphemia passed away in February 1941.

Maker:  Saunders & Sheperd

Designer:  Alexander Ritchie

Date: 1908

Marks: CS*FS, Chester, H

Material: Sterling silver

Condition: Excellent

Size: 2 cm diameter

Weight: NM