21st Century Silversmiths

collections, metalwork, silver, jewellery, contemporary, designers

  • Bowl, Keith Tyssen

    Bowl, Keith Tyssen, 1997. Museum no. M.10-1998

    Bowl
    Keith Tyssen
    UK
    1997
    Pewter
    Museum no. M.10-1998

    Tyssen spent most of his professional career as a silversmith, teaching the subject at Sheffield College of Art. Although he continues to create commissions in silver, Tyssen has also created a range of objects in what he calls 'the new metal', pewter. This bowl was designed in response to an enquiry by US clothing brand Banana Republic, who subsequently ordered nearly 300 bowls. The design is still in production.

  • 'Grebe' candlesticks, Hector Miller

    'Grebe' candlesticks, Hector Miller, 2000. Museum no. M.6:1-2-2003

    'Grebe' candlesticks
    Hector Miller
    UK
    2000
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.6:1-2-2003

    The grebe is a water bird, whose elegant poise provided the inspiration for these candlesticks. Miller now specialises in sculptural silver and pioneered the use of TIG silver welding to seamlessly join together components. He uses this technique when working in other metals, such as strong but ultra lightweight titanium.

  • 'Brouhaha', David Clarke

    'Brouhaha', David Clarke, 2007. Museum no. M.3-2007

    'Brouhaha'
    David Clarke
    UK
    2007 (the teapot about 1850-1900)
    Electroplated Britannia metal and lead, tin solder
    Given to the V&A as one of the winners of the Sotheby's Award at COLLECT 2007
    Museum no. M.3-2007

    With this piece David Clarke has moved away from the comfortable elegance of his previous works, creating a startling juxtaposition of the old and new. Clarke uses a 19th century teapot as the basis for this composition. The teapot is sawn in half , the pieces joined together with lead inserts to create another functional object: a vase. The title, literally meaning a commotion or uproar, could refer to the treatment of the teapot, as well as being a play on words, referring to the former function of the pot, to brew tea.

  • Sporting trophy, Sang Hyeob-Lee (also known as William Lee)

    Sporting trophy, Sang Hyeob-Lee (also known as William Lee), 2003. Museum no. M.61-2003

    Sporting trophy
    Sang Hyeob-Lee (also known as William Lee)
    UK
    2003
    Britannia silver, wooden core
    Museum no. M.61-2003

    This was the winning entry in the 2003 'Young Designer Silversmith of the Year' competition, organised by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Lee used a combination of boating and water motifs in his design for a rowing trophy.

  • '173', David Clarke

    '173', David Clarke, 2004. Museum no. M.3-2005

    '173'
    David Clarke
    UK
    2004
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.3-2005

    173 rods, soldered together and hammered to create the undulating surface, form this striking tray. David Clarke specialises in creating, in his words, 'innovative pieces of domestic silverware suitable for contemporary interiors'. His recent work, however, sees him experimenting with found objects and base metals. (See his 'Brouhaha' vase recently acquired from the 'Collect' art fair.)

  • 'Garlands' necklace, Evert Nijland

    'Garlands' necklace, Evert Nijland, 2004. Museum no. M.8-2005

    'Garlands' necklace
    Evert Nijland
    Holland
    2004
    Porcelain pendants on string
    Museum no. M.8-2005
    Gifted to the V&A as Winner of the Sotheby's Award at COLLECT 2005

    Evert Nijland is a jeweller who works in a variety of materials, often using silver or gold only as small parts of the composition (for example practical elements such as clasps or hooks). This necklace, from the Garlands series, sees him reinterpreting classical ornamentation in a starkly contemporary composition.

  • 'Garlands' necklace, Evert Nijland2004

    'Garlands' necklace, Evert Nijland 2004, Museum no. M.7-2005

    'Garlands' necklace
    Evert Nijland
    Holland
    2004
    Hollow glass suspended by silver from steel cable cased in braid
    Museum no. M.7-2005
    Gifted to the V&A as Winner of the Sotheby's Award at COLLECT 2005

    Nijland often uses silver or gold only as small parts of the composition (for example practical elements such as clasps or hooks). In this necklace he balances fragile glass with robust steel cable. The natural elements in this piece are gnarled roots rather than picturesque flowers or fruits.

  • Vessel, Rudolph Bott

    Vessel, Rudolph Bott, 2002. Museum no. M.33-2005

    Vessel
    Rudolph Bott
    Germany
    2002
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.33-2005

    Bott's design is strikingly simple. The silver remains unpolished leaving a matt surface. The deliberate hammer marks, rippling across the neck of the vessel, form the only ornamentation.

  • 'A Very Large Propagation Project of Textured Spikes', Junko Mori

    'A Very Large Propagation Project of Textured Spikes', Junko Mori, 2004. Museum no. FE.321-2005

    'A Very Large Propagation Project of Textured Spikes'
    Junko Mori
    UK
    2004
    Forged mild steel, wax coated
    Museum no. FE.321-2005

    Junko Mori is a Japanese maker based in the UK. Since graduating in 2000 she has experimented with steel and silver, with projects ranging from jewellery to large scale sculptural commissions. Mori's fascination with organic forms can be seen in this piece. Each individual spike was forged by hand, subtly unique because the hammer never strikes the metal in the same way twice. She experimented with creating forms this way with a series of 'Propagation Project' pieces.

  • 'Bowl #7', Carla Nuis

    'Bowl #7', Carla Nuis, 2000. Museum no. M.45-2003

    'Bowl #7'
    Carla Nuis
    Holland
    2000
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.45-2003

    This bowl is made from a design inspired by an Italian Baroque velvet. It is created from a single sheet of silver. Nuis sawed out the intricate pattern by hand, then manipulated the silver to create the delicately balanced bowl shape. It took her over 100 hours to make the bowl.

  • Teapot, Robert Foster

    Teapot, Robert Foster, 2001. Museum no. M.29-2001

    Teapot
    Robert Foster
    Australia
    2001
    Anodised aluminium
    Museum no. M.29-2001
    Purchased with the assistance of the Yorke-Radleigh Trust Fund

    Robert Foster is a leading Australian designer and maker. Silversmithing and metalworking in Australia is not inhibited by the traditions and regulations that exist in Europe. Artists are able to use a diversity of materials, combining precious and base metals, often flamboyantly coloured.

  • Vase, Michael Lloyd

    Vase, Michael Lloyd, 2001. Museum no. M.4-2002

    Vase
    Michael Lloyd
    Scotland
    2001
    Britannia silver, partly gilded
    Museum no. M.4-2002

    Michael Lloyd is an established silversmith based in Scotland. He takes his creative inspiration from nature. Texture, colour and form are of equal consideration to Lloyd when creating a piece of silverware. Enjoyment of the creative process of making is as important to him as the finished product.

     

  • ‘Bowl #7’, Carla Nuis

    ‘Bowl #7’, Carla Nuis, 2000. Museum no. M.1-2007

    ‘Bowl #7’
    Carla Nuis
    Holland
    2000
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.1-2007

    This bowl shows the negative pattern, in contrast to ‘Bowl #6’ which  shows the positive. They are each created from a single sheet of silver. Nuis sawed out the intricate pattern by hand, then manipulated the silver to create the delicately balanced bowl shape. It took her over 100 hours to make each bowl.

  • Fork and Spoon, Alastair Hamer

    Fork and Spoon, Alastair Hamer, 2006. On loan from a trust which specialises in contemporary silver

    Fork and Spoon
    Alastair Hamer
    UK
    2006
    Britannia standard silver with inlaid gold
    On loan from a trust which specialises in contemporary silver

    Alastair Hamer is a young graduate of the Royal College of Art. He creates cutlery using both traditional and modern techniques such as forging and rapid prototyping. His oversized fork and spoon create a subtle jarring effect when held. These familiar objects take on new resonance because of his adjustment in scale.

  • ‘Leda’ pitcher, Rob Glover

    ‘Leda’ pitcher, Rob Glover, 2005. Museum no. M.2-2007

    ‘Leda’ pitcher
    Rob Glover, USA, 2005
    Sterling silver
    Museum no. M.2-2007

    In Greek mythology Leda, the wife of a Spartan king, was raped by the god Zeus who had taken the form of a swan. On this pitcher, Glover inverts this legend to shift the balance of power, casting Leda herself as the swan. In the process he creates a unique representation of a swan in his design.