An Edward Spencer for the Artificers Guild silver covered bowl

Price range: £1,000-5,000

For sale is this rather “perfect” lidded silver bowl by Edward Spencer for the Artificers Guild.  I say “perfect” because it just has a very satisfying form, is a good gauge , and it is topped with a beautifully modelled  pomegranate, who’s symbolism means that this is almost certainly a wedding gift.

The bowl has the Artificers Guild’s characteristic design of a hand raised, hand hammered bowl sitting on a twelve sided hollow foot, that forms part of the bowl itself.  The lid sits snugly into the bowl.  The bowl is dated “q” for 1931, the  lid “r” for 1932, and my suspicion is that this was a one off commission, whereby the Guild took an existing bowl, using a well known design, and added the lid to order.

The Artificers Guild was originally established by Nelson Dawson along similar lines to Charles Ashbee’s Guild of Handicrafts but quickly changed ownership and from 1902 it’s chief designer became Edward Spencer who took over the firm as a limited company in 1909.   The Guild continued to have great success during the inter-war period, finally closing its doors in 1939.

Maker: Artificers Guild

Designer: Edward Spencer

Date :  1931/32

Marks: AsCoLd, London “q/r”, Spencer mark

Material: Sterling silver

Condition: Excellent

Size: 11.75 cm max diameter, 11.0cm high

Weight : 291 grams, 10.3 oz