An outstanding Alwyn Carr silver wine goblet

Price range: £4,650

A really great silver goblet by Alwyn Carr (1872-1940).  Carr was one half of the Ramsden & Carr partnership that split after the first world war.  Omar Ramsden went on to great commercial success, whilst Alwyn Carr remained a studio silversmith, whose work is far rarer.    This goblet is an exceptional example of his work.

Beautifully made with floral design to the stem, the highlights of the piece are the eight well set semi-precious stones to the base.  I can identify garnets and moonstones and possibly two other types of stone of similar colour.  The goblet is a good gauge of silver and feels weighty in the hand.  The interior retains its soften lemon gilding.  The goblet is clearly hallmarked for London 1938.  It is in excellent condition with lovely hand planishing, crisp design and clear hallmarks.

The goblet is subtly engraved to the base. “Xmas 1938” and “AS EH ORAIJ”.  The meaning of Oraij is hard to determine.  It is mostly a surname seen predominantly in Saudi Arabia.  That seems an unlikely interpretation, however.  Please see images of the base to see the inscription.  These images also most clearly show the strong colours of the stones.

The goblet was made late in Carr’s career just two years before his death in 1940.  The goblet has inspired me to research Carr a little more with some interesting results. It represents the latest work I have seen by him. He was 66 years old in 1938 and as late as the 1939 England and Walers Register (essentially pre-war census) he describes himself as an “artist goldsmith”.  He is living in Wycombe in a house named “St Dunstan” – the patron saint of silversmiths and the same name he and Omar Ramsden gave their first Studio in 1898 in London.

This is probably the finest arts and crafts goblet I have seen.

Provenance is to the renowned Seawolf collection and the goblet appears on page 123 (object 079) in the book of that collection entitled “Late 19th and 20th century silver, a personal touch”.  Accordingly it was exhibited as part of that collection’s various exhibitions.  It was acquired at Bonhams, April 2024.

Maker: Alwyn Carr

Designer: Alwyn Carr

Date : 1938

Marks: AC, London,  “C”

Material: Sterling silver, stones

Condition: Excellent

Size: 13.75cm high, 8cm across base

Weight: 252 grams, 8.9 oz