Plique-À-Jour enamel sweet bowl
Circa:1905
Origin:Birmingham
Condition:Enamel excellent. Small repair to one leg. Good patina
Dimensions:10.4cm diameter by 6.4cm high
Plique-À-Jour enamel sweet bowl designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co.
Birmingham 1905 rare silver Plique-À-Jour enamel sweet bowl designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co.
Illustrated in “Archibald Knox” by Stephen Martin on page 206.
Weight - 174g gross
Liberty & Co. was founded in 1875 by Arthur Lazenby Liberty. Liberty pioneered the Art Nouveau style, as it was to be recognized many years later, from the late 1890’s to about 1912. Their silverware stands out as some of the most desirable items retailed by them. Some of the designers who worked for them were Archibald Knox, Rex Silver, Jessie M. King, E.A. Taylor, Arthur and Georgina Gaskin, Bernard Cuzner, Oliver Baker, A.H. Jones and H.C. Craythorn. Liberty registered its first mark in 1894 and this silverware was originally manufactured by an unidentified London workshop
The silver retailed by Liberty was sold under the trade name “Cymric ”. Introduced in 1900 it was manufactured predominantly by W.H. Hasler of Birmingham. “Cymric” silverware was manufactured until 1927 and is characterized by the hammer marks being visibly left on the metal surface and by decoration with enamelling and the application of gem stones. These pieces were mass produced but were hammered to give the appearance of hand craftsmanship. Here Arthur Lazenby Liberty managed to align the desire for hand wrought items of quality at the right price with modern manufacturing techniques. “Cymric” silver and jewellery was intended as a well made cheaper alternative to the expensive hand made Arts & Crafts items of the day.
A large amount of Liberty’s silverware was stamped with the mark of Liberty & Co. without identifying the designer or the maker, as only the Liberty name was meant to be publicized. “ Designed and made by Liberty& Co” is found in their company retail catalogues and here Arthur L Liberty promoted the ideal of objects designed and manufactured for a taste and fashion conscious buying public. The work produced by Archibald Knox (1864 – 1903) the most prolific and important designer for Liberty’s, reflects the craft spirit and preoccupation with Celtic art. Knox’s designs are typified by rather simple Celtic motifs and blue or green enamelling.
This bowl with its rare Plique-À-Jour enamelled insets is the only known example where Plique-À-Jour was used by Liberty.
“Plique-À-Jour: rarely found on English silver, a form of enamelling that was popular for small objects, such as spoons and ladles, in Scandinavia, France and Russia. The enamel is held in an unbacked metal framework, which creates the effect of a stained-glass window. This technique was favoured for items decorated in the delicate and sinuous Art Nouveau style.” Quoted from Miller’s Companion To Antiques & Collectables, page 318
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Origin:Birmingham
Condition:Enamel excellent. Small repair to one leg. Good patina
Dimensions:10.4cm diameter by 6.4cm high
Plique-À-Jour enamel sweet bowl designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co.
Birmingham 1905 rare silver Plique-À-Jour enamel sweet bowl designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co.
Illustrated in “Archibald Knox” by Stephen Martin on page 206.
Weight - 174g gross
Liberty & Co. was founded in 1875 by Arthur Lazenby Liberty. Liberty pioneered the Art Nouveau style, as it was to be recognized many years later, from the late 1890’s to about 1912. Their silverware stands out as some of the most desirable items retailed by them. Some of the designers who worked for them were Archibald Knox, Rex Silver, Jessie M. King, E.A. Taylor, Arthur and Georgina Gaskin, Bernard Cuzner, Oliver Baker, A.H. Jones and H.C. Craythorn. Liberty registered its first mark in 1894 and this silverware was originally manufactured by an unidentified London workshop
The silver retailed by Liberty was sold under the trade name “Cymric ”. Introduced in 1900 it was manufactured predominantly by W.H. Hasler of Birmingham. “Cymric” silverware was manufactured until 1927 and is characterized by the hammer marks being visibly left on the metal surface and by decoration with enamelling and the application of gem stones. These pieces were mass produced but were hammered to give the appearance of hand craftsmanship. Here Arthur Lazenby Liberty managed to align the desire for hand wrought items of quality at the right price with modern manufacturing techniques. “Cymric” silver and jewellery was intended as a well made cheaper alternative to the expensive hand made Arts & Crafts items of the day.
A large amount of Liberty’s silverware was stamped with the mark of Liberty & Co. without identifying the designer or the maker, as only the Liberty name was meant to be publicized. “ Designed and made by Liberty& Co” is found in their company retail catalogues and here Arthur L Liberty promoted the ideal of objects designed and manufactured for a taste and fashion conscious buying public. The work produced by Archibald Knox (1864 – 1903) the most prolific and important designer for Liberty’s, reflects the craft spirit and preoccupation with Celtic art. Knox’s designs are typified by rather simple Celtic motifs and blue or green enamelling.
This bowl with its rare Plique-À-Jour enamelled insets is the only known example where Plique-À-Jour was used by Liberty.
“Plique-À-Jour: rarely found on English silver, a form of enamelling that was popular for small objects, such as spoons and ladles, in Scandinavia, France and Russia. The enamel is held in an unbacked metal framework, which creates the effect of a stained-glass window. This technique was favoured for items decorated in the delicate and sinuous Art Nouveau style.” Quoted from Miller’s Companion To Antiques & Collectables, page 318
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Other Currency Estimates:
Please note that all our sales are conducted in South African Rands.
For our international clients we apply a fixed exchange rate based on the date of sale. Therefore the estimated prices shown in the other currencies are based on today's exchange rates shown below:
US Dollar: $1 = R7.22 | UK Pound: £1 = R11.13 | Euro: €1 = R9.19
Please note that all our sales are conducted in South African Rands.
For our international clients we apply a fixed exchange rate based on the date of sale. Therefore the estimated prices shown in the other currencies are based on today's exchange rates shown below:
US Dollar: $1 = R7.22 | UK Pound: £1 = R11.13 | Euro: €1 = R9.19