William Comyns
by Jeremy Astfalck
| 7 July, 2004 |
William Comyns exhibition at the NAADA fair in JohannesburgJeremy Astfalck of The Old Corkscrew in Franschhoek will be showing a collection of work from the well known firm of English silversmiths, William Comyns and Sons, at the upcoming NAADA fair on the 22nd to the 25th of July, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Founded by William Comyns in about 1859 in London, he was joined by his two sons, Charles Harling Comyns and Richard Harling Comyns in 1885. His work, always of exceptional decorative quality, found favour in the early 1880’s and by the early 1900’s he was supplying a number of London’s top retailers, including Henry Louis of New Bond Street, Carrington & Co. of Regent Street, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. Ltd of Regent Street and Tiffany & Co. in New York. The firm, which produced large numbers of die stamped wares, including the famous Reynolds Angels design, also specialized in fine silver mounted tortoiseshell work. The quality of their workmanship was astounding and we have for sale pieces that encompass all known manufacturing processes used by a silversmith, i.e. casting, chasing, engraving, piercing, spinning and forging. One item in particular, a dessert stand or tazza which has the most extensive piercing we have seen, is of superb quality. To understand the amount of time and effort that went into making it, the piercing, where the design is cut using a single saw blade , would have begun with a solid plate of silver and when completed the effect is of a fine silver lattice. This produced a final finish that although looks light and airy is strong and robust. The time taken to do this part of the process was between two and three months and when one considers that this was further engraved, you begin to appreciate the effort that went into the making of this piece. This process of manufacturing, having been used since Georgian times, was largely eclipsed by the introduction and use of steam presses that could do this work albeit on thinner silver and indicates the commitment to quality shown by this talented silversmith. |