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 "American Silverwork" article in 1893 British publication
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| Author | Topic: "American Silverwork" article in 1893 British publication |
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dragonflywink Posts: 993 |
posted 12-22-2010 02:24 PM
  
This is an 1893 British article from the Journal of the Society of Arts on the reading of a paper by Horace Townsend, followed by some comments by listening members. I found it to be a good read and quite interesting - could only wish that it had accompanying pictures of the pieces referenced in his presentation. When I have a bit more time, will post an article on the Japanese alloys mentioned in the references to Japanese influence..... ~Cheryl IP: Logged |
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dragonflywink Posts: 993 |
posted 12-22-2010 02:25 PM
Continuation: IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 12-22-2010 03:48 PM
Wow. An amazing article--and it says so much about the moment from a remarkably clear-eyed observer. The idea about "discover" and variety of design is what strikes home--because that's exactly what curators have been going on about for years--but I've never seen this article. I wonder if Charles Venable cited it in his big book for Dallas back in the 1990s. IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 12-22-2010 08:51 PM
What a great and fresh-eyed article for the period. I am very glad to have been able to read it, so thank you very much for taking the trouble to make it available for us. How interesting it would be to see for comparison an American article looking "backwards" over the pond, as it were, perhaps contrasting the avalanche of glitzy American novelty with the sobriety (and/or dullness) of the old country. IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 12-23-2010 07:53 AM
I had just finished reading the current issue of the Society’s Journal (now the RSA Journal) when I turned to my computer and read this extract from an 1893 issue. The Society continues to flourish: see [<gone from the internet> thersa.org/about-us/history-and-archive/rsa-history-timeline] RSA history timeline The reported paper is absolutely in line with the Society’s objective of encouraging improvement in the arts and industry and its emphasis on good design. Interesting the way that hallmarking laws were held partly to blame for the unadventurous state of British mainstream silversmithing. I’m not convinced that was really the case, though the assay rules did prevent some innovation such as the development here of mixed metal pieces. It is always tempting to blame regulation, but the assay did not prevent the changes that were already in the air at the time and does not seem to be a problem for today’s designer silversmiths. IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 12-25-2010 05:09 PM
Great read for a lazy Christmas day and a Merry one to all. Speaking from my personal history of training in London, where hall marking was the be all and end all, and then returning to work in the US, I found it very hard to go against my pavlovian training not to mix metals. Still today hall marking holds back the trade but the real killer in the trade is not bringing in the best designers and advancing the art. I find it ironic that the company cited so often above, today has fallen into the bad habits of the old London trade. Smithing in England today has a new vitality that comes from all the new young smiths working independently. [This message has been edited by agleopar (edited 12-25-2010).] IP: Logged |
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