Our collection of hand-worked solid silver works of art has been created in partnership
with a group of very talented Asian silversmiths with whom we have worked in
partnership for the last fifteen years. Silver smithing is an artisan craft that is usually
passed down through families and young apprentices, who work at small tables in the
courtyards of their own homes.
The pieces in our collection are inspired by both Chinese and South East Asian forms
which are then reworked with a Western eye for form and function. The decoration
plays with refined Chinese motifs such as lotus, bamboo and clouds to create a ravishing
group of hand-worked bowls platters and containers.
The techniques used in the creation of these wonderful silver objects are mainly repousse,
chasing and engraving. Every step is worked by hand, and the beauty of these pieces is
the strong connection that is evident between the hand of the artist and the final forms.
Silver is a very malleable metal, which can be worked at room temperature, simply by
the gentle and careful tapping of hammers or punches onto the silver surface. Chasing and
repousse are used to form the piece into deep contours, while the silver is held in place
by soft pitch, a tar like substance. To do this a variety of different sized punches are
softly hammered onto the silver to create depth on the surface. This allows exquisitely
detailed foliate and scrolling designs to be produced. Repousse works from the back
surface of the final form, while chasing works from the top surface down to create the
detail that will be seen on the exterior.
Whether displayed individually as sculptural decorative objects or massed into table
settings and collections, the beauty of the silver and the skilled traditional craftsmanship
can be appreciated. We have tried to combine both old and new ideas to form
contemporary pieces that will work in both modern and traditional environments.