2019–2020 REVIEW THE GOLDSMITHS’ THE GOLDSMITHS’ REVIEW 2019–2020 THE COMPANY 2 The New Prime Warden FEATURE STORIES 4 The Goldsmiths’ Covid-19 Fund 30 Containing Silver: 6 Apprentice to Freeman: Will Lander An Exhibition of Boxes 8 Tackling Diversity 33 The Assay Office London: One Bright Light at a Time Prove, Protect and Adorn 14 Robert Amadas and Martin Bowes: 36 Goldsmiths’ Stories Goldsmiths to Henry VIII 40 ‘Surviving Is a Talent’: 17 Emmeline Hastings: New Horizon Youth Centre Otherworldly Jewels 44 Wearable Sculpture: The Brooch 22 Creativity in a Crisis 50 A Creative Education: Making PPE for Key Workers Expanding the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s 24 Mark Nuell: Modern Lapidary Reach and Impact 53 COMPANY NEWS 54 A Prime Warden’s Year 56 Looking Back at the Year 60 The 1327 Fund: Thank You 61 The Clerk’s Report 62 Assay Office 63 Charity 64 Education 65 Communications and Marketing 66 Goldsmiths’ Centre 67 Membership 68 Military Affiliations 69 Curatorial Department 70 Library and Archives 71 Masterpieces 73 Obituaries 75 Membership Update 77 Committees List 78 The Goldsmiths’ Company and Charity 2019–2020 80 Events and Principal Officers Editor Eleni Bide Front cover Copyright © 2020 Assistant Editor Sophia Tobin Amaru brooch by Emmeline Hastings, The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths 2019, oxidised sterling and argentium Correspondence silver, 18ct rose gold, 18ct yellow gold and No part of this work may be reproduced, stored The Worshipful Company platinum, acrylic with stainless steel pin in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form of Goldsmiths, Goldsmiths’ Hall, Collection: The Worshipful Company or by any means, including copying and recording, Foster Lane, London ec2v 6bn of Goldsmiths without written permission from the copyright RICHARD VALENCIA owner, application for which should be addressed Designed to The Goldsmiths’ Company. Opinions expressed Title page and produced by in The Goldsmiths’ Review are not necessarily Court Cup for Victoria Broackes by Clive Christiechristie those of the Editor or The Goldsmiths’ Company. Burr and Jane Short, 2019, sterling silver, and Disegno Works Whilst every effort has been made to verify enamel, gilding. Collection: The Worshipful disegnoworks.com statements of fact by contributors, no responsibility Company of Goldsmiths is accepted for errors or omissions by them. CLARISSA BRUCE Prospective users of techniques, materials ISSN 0953-0355 or equipment described should take specialist Back cover advice on official safety precautions and The Gibbon Salt, regulations which apply to them. Both may 1576, silver gilt, rock crystal. Collection: vary from country to country. The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths RICHARD VALENCIA THE GOLDSMITHS’ REVIEW 2019–2020 2 THE GOLDSMITHS’ REVIEW JULIA SKUPNY THE NEW PRIME WARDEN 3 THE NEW PRIME WARDEN RICHARD FOX HAS SPENT A him to be adaptable: taking on all kinds of Contemporary British Silversmiths and lifetime working in precious metal. He has projects; exhibiting widely; and, for seven since becoming a Freeman in 1989, he has experienced the industry from many years, teaching at Middlesex alongside brought his dynamic approach to the different perspectives – craftsman, teacher, growing his business. Goldsmiths’ Company’s initiatives and his entrepreneur – and is uniquely placed to Having been inspired by the own role of master to two apprentices. lead the company at a time when its trade Goldsmiths’ Company as a teenager, Encouraged by Grant Macdonald and needs it more than ever. Richard’s connections with the Hall Hector Miller, he joined the Court in 2011 Richard grew up in Warwick. His became particularly fruitful. He kept in and remembers a dossier six inches thick engineer father helped him develop a love touch, sending information about his new coming through the post shortly afterwards! of technical drawing and mathematics, work, and this led to an introduction to His arrival on the Court coincided with the while being a chorister at St Mary’s, Bernie Ecclestone and a commission to development of the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Warwick made him a seasoned traveller by make an F1 trophy – the first of many. Particularly passionate about craft the age of 12. Contact with Bulgari also came in this way education, Richard sees its recent But his introduction to the medium that and his business expanded rapidly. programmes to develop skills networks as would shape his life did not come until he However, it was a commission to make vital in maintaining excellence, passing was compelled to take an extra activity to boxes for jeweller Serena Milton that led on knowledge and, in his words, “saving complement his science-based A-levels. He to his most important collaboration: Serena the future”. chose jewellery and, as he remembers, “it began to absorb my life”. Following his first taste of commercial success making “There are many challenges bangles and rings for a family friend’s boutique, the teenage Richard began to ahead but we will all work together consider goldsmithing as a career. An exhibition of work by Christopher to achieve a forward thinking new Lawrence at Goldsmiths’ Hall made a huge impression and his path was set. Goldsmiths’ Company.” Following a foundation course which immersed him in fine art, he embarked on Middlesex University’s BA in Design. This became his partner in life as well as in work Becoming Prime Warden in the midst introduced him to silversmithing, a and together they have raised four children of a global pandemic is challenging. medium which combined his affinity for alongside developing Fox Silver as However, with nearly 40 years’ experience, metals with a newfound interest in a business. Richard is well equipped for this. The sculpture. A year in industry working with Richard sees Fox Silver as part of the company’s Covid-19 Fund reflects his Roger Taylor helped to develop his ideas commercial landscape of international commitment to flexible, fast and impactful about how silversmithing could be luxury, and its clients include Louis action. But he knows that being there for practiced from a design production Vuitton, Damien Hirst and Rolls-Royce, the long haul is equally important: “The perspective. Having been taught by Keith with whom he works as a tier-one supplier. company has been a guiding light alongside Redfern at Middlesex, Richard Fox Silver has never advertised, but its the support for our craft and wider encountered another great silversmith reputation for technological innovation, community since I first crossed its threshold when studying for his MA at the Royal craftsmanship and quality means new as a teenager and I trust this has been a College of Art – Gerald Benney. This clients find it – and stay. The firm’s home similar experience for many of our experience gave him the chance to explore is now in Croydon, where visitors to the membership. Due to the pandemic, we new disciplines and technologies, such as workshop complex can find a craft atelier have to think and work in different ways; printmaking, and consider how they might with a sharp cutting edge. This is a the Company staff have been tireless in apply to silversmithing – hands-on manifestation of Richard’s belief in the their efforts to implement these changes opportunities that he is acutely aware are importance of adaptability alongside and continue to do so. There are many much more limited for students today. excellence: the firm’s tag line is ‘from tie challenges ahead, but with the assistance He graduated from the RCA in 1981 – pin to trophy’. of the membership, staff, guidance from the year after the Bunker Hunt silver crisis. Richard’s involvement in the world of the committees and Court we will all work Despite the tough trading conditions, he silversmithing doesn’t stop there. From together to achieve a forward-thinking new set up his own workshop in Kennington, early on he was interested in supporting Goldsmiths’ Company.” ✦ south London. Those early years required the trade. He is a founding member of ELENI BIDE 4 THE GOLDSMITHS’ REVIEW THE GOLDSMITHS’ COVID-19 FUND ELENI BIDE PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS MENTIONED IN THE Self-portrait by Elisavet Messi, first pages of the Company’s earliest-surviving minute book, dating taken in her studio whilst preparing to close it for lockdown from 1334. Over the succeeding centuries, our commitment to this relief continued, even as the country faced pandemics and disasters that devastated our finances. Crisis struck again this year. When the UK implemented lockdown on 23 March 2020, the impact on jewellers, silversmiths The delivery of such a rapid response reflected the seriousness and allied trades was swift and dramatic. Retailers closed and many of the situation and the commitment of those involved. The makers found their workshops were inaccessible. The opportunity process was overseen by a steering group led by the new Prime to meet clients face to face and allow objects to be appreciated in Warden Richard Fox. As a silversmith with more than 40 years of person – a hugely important part of selling jewellery and silver – experience in the industry and running his own business, Richard disappeared overnight. knew the challenges confronting those working with precious metal. Even as they worked to adapt, many in the industry were hit Behind the scenes, the Company’s Charity and Events teams, and hard. For the Goldsmiths’ Company and Charity, providing a form the Goldsmiths’ Centre pooled their expertise. Meanwhile the IT of safety net for some of the most vulnerable was imperative, both team swiftly built an online platform, and Communications staff as a continuation of our tradition of supporting goldsmiths in at the Hall, the Centre and the Assay Office made sure the message troubled times and as a way of trying to ensure the sector’s survival. got out to as many people as possible.