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Price range: Sold
By William Connells of Cheapside, a very early arts and crafts dish. Connells exhibited small silver items like this alongside the Guild of Handicrafts in the 1893 Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. Designer unknown, possibly Robert Catterson Smith, originally an Irish artist who did designs at this time for Connells and went on to become head of the Birmingham Art School. The design is also reminiscent of William De Morgan ceramic tiles.
Maker: William Connell of Cheapside
Designer: Unknown, possibly Robert Catterson Smith.
Date : 1893
Marks: WCC, London, date letter “S”
Material: Sterling silver
Condition: Excellent.
Size: 12cm square
Weight : 112 grams
Connells of Cheapside were one of the earliest innovators in arts and crafts silver. Alongside Charles Ashbee’s Guild of Handicraft they were one of only two exhibitors of silver holloware at the 1893 Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. By 1900 they were retailing goods by Kate Harris and slightly later, A E Jones. For more information see an article on Connells “Pioneers of Modern Artistic Silverware” by Dr Stephen Pudney in the Silver Society Journal page 223, Vol 11, 1999.
