In the morning you will have the opportunity to chat with and see the work of Alice Fry and Ray Walton and in the afternoon the makers will be Katie Watson and Vicki Ambery-Smith. The demonstrations will be in Room 66 and 68 of the Whiteley Silver Galleries from 11.00-13.00 and 14.00-16.00.

This event is part of London Craft Week

Contemporary British Silversmiths began as the Association of British Designer Silversmiths in 1996.

It was launched by a group of makers determined to give a voice to a new generation of silversmiths, rich in diverse talents with a wealth of exciting new ideas. Encouraging innovative thinking and re-affirming a shared commitment to excellence in design and workmanship have been our flagship values.

Over the past decade our many exhibitions have travelled throughout the UK, and to Holland, Germany, Denmark, Taipei, USA and most recently Finland. These exhibitions and events showcase members’ work and provide makers with the opportunity and environment in which to explore and develop fresh ideas.

During our 25 anniversary year, we will be celebrating 25 years of supporting silversmiths, highlighting the work of our members and looking behind the scenes at some of the people that have made the association what it is today.

Find out about our past Chairs…

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In conversation | Friday 9 October 2020 | 18:30 | Online Talk

We were immensely proud to hold an exclusive interview with founder member of Contemporary British Silversmiths and former Chair, Richard Fox during London Craft Week 2020.

You can watch the interview here

Richard Fox is one of the UK’s leading silversmiths and is currently Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, one of the most prestigious positions in the precious metals industry, as well as being an active member of Contemporary British Silversmiths, serving as Chair from 1999 to 2002. He has been at the forefront of the industry throughout his career, driving it forward and creating unique opportunities to showcase British silver internationally.

As managing director of Fox Silver, he has created work for a huge variety of corporate, public sector, private and motorsports clients, including Downing Street, Lambeth Palace, Bulgari, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Pernod Ricard and F1, to name a very select few.

In this up close and personal interview, silversmith and former Chair of Contemporary British Silversmiths, Angela Cork gave a glimpse into Richard’s career from graduating from the Royal College of Art, to establishing his business and how he helped to found Contemporary British Silversmiths in 1995. The talk explored his design aesthetic, the importance of the hallmark and what has inspired his interest in silver for so many years.

This event has been generously supported by the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office.

London Craft Week will take place from 30 September – 8 October. In the lead up to the festival London Craft Week will be offering a glimpse into what to expect this autumn with a Virtual Preview that includes exclusive online masterclasses, demonstrations, conversations and product launches, as well as virtual behind-the-scenes exhibition, studio and workshop tours.

The Virtual Preview reflects LCW’s ambition to celebrate exceptional creativity and craftsmanship from around the world. From household names to those less well known, its aim is to shine a spotlight on ‘unsung creative heroes’. LCW tells the stories behind some of the world’s most beautiful objects – the material, the maker, the process and the inspiration.

Jessica Jue is an exciting emerging silversmithing brand and graduate member of Contemporary British Silversmiths. She reinvents traditional techniques in silver to craft elegantly beautiful contemporary designs that have won her many accolades, including three silver awards at the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council. Inspired by balance and harmony, Jue draws and sculpts with dramatic use of fluid and organic playful curves and aims to create a sense of rhythmic movement within her collection. She skilfully manipulates her forms through the ancient art of hammering, while also introducing and abundance of rich surface textures, through the use of pattern and gold. Important commissions have included a silver centrepiece for the National Museum of Scotland and the P&O Makower Trust.

Contemporary British Silversmiths, the leading association for contemporary silver in the United Kingdom, is a membership organisation set up to inspire creativity and promote excellence in design and craftsmanship to new audiences nationally and internationally. Alongside promoting the work of its members, its worldwide community of makers are recognised for helping one another develop and the association aims to create a virtuous circle of skills transfer to protect and pass on skills for the future while showcasing how silver is relevant to contemporary life. Through its work, Contemporary British Silversmiths has partnered and collaborated with many organisations including the V&A, the Goldsmiths’ Company, the Goldsmiths’ Centre, Bonhams, Christies and Georg Jensen.

A free day of live silversmithing demonstrations by Contemporary British Silversmiths at the V&A

• Sunday 15th September 2019 | 10am to 5pm
• Room 66, Silver Galleries, Victoria and Albert Museum
• In partnership with London Design Festival and the V&A
• Free, Drop In
• Sponsored by The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office

A commitment to passing on craft techniques has been central to the mission of Contemporary British Silversmiths (CBS) for more than 20 years. Silversmiths learn their craft over a lifetime and CBS is helping support a new generation of designers to acquire the highest level of craft skills.

Join three generations of expertise including double Cartier award winning ex Asprey master silversmith Tony Bedford with Rauni Higson and Charlotte Tollyfield who will showcase the creative and technical processes behind creating objects in the beautiful material of silver. Programme Director Rauni Higson will also give an informal talk at midday in the Silver Galleries about the passing on of silversmithing skills in the 21st Century.

This event is generously supported by the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office as part of its mission to increase and promote expertise in materials and production within the precious metalwork industry and held in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum and the London Design Festival.

To be kept informed of this event and future talks and exhibitions, sign up to our newsletter here.

The Making of a Silver Commission: Demonstrations | Lunchtime Talk

In partnership with Contemporary British Silversmiths, the leading association for contemporary silver, The Clothworkers’ Company hosts a day of events, shining a light on the fascinating process of commissioning and making silver.Meet the makers during free demonstrations by award-winning silversmiths Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto and learn about their live commissions for The Clothworkers’ Company during our lunchtime lecture.

Both silversmiths have recently been commissioned to create major pieces for The Clothworkers’ Company. This one-day event offers visitors a unique opportunity to talk to the makers about their design process and techniques and find out about the commissioning process.

The Clothworkers’ Company possesses an extensive collection of silver dating from the early seventeenth century onwards and actively commissions new work as it seeks to build a representative collection of the best of contemporary silver made in Britain.

The two silversmiths will be demonstrating their exceptional skill to the public in the prestigious surroundings of Clothworkers’ Hall, giving visitors a rare opportunity to see inside one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London.

Miriam Hanid is an award-winning silversmith, best known for her distinctive sculptural silver inspired by water, movement and the natural world. Miriam employs the decorative techniques of chasing and engraving as a focal point in her work. She will demonstrate the process of hand engraving, giving the audience an insight into the life of a silversmith and the bespoke nature of her handcrafted commissions.

Yusuke Yamamoto graduated from Musashino Art University, in Japan in 2004. He is fascinated by the behaviour of water, clouds, petals and texture of trees. He shapes metal using a hammer and chasing, each stroke expressing a story and an emotion. He exhibits and sells his award winning pieces worldwide, with work featured in prestigious public collections in the UK and abroad.

Venue: The Clothworkers’ Company, Clothworkers’ Hall, Dunster Court, Mincing Lane, London EC3R 7AH

Booking: Free but booking essential – places strictly limited

Programme:

MEET THE MAKERS [MORNING DEMONSTRATIONS] – FREE

Session 1: An hour of silversmith demonstrations with Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto
Time: 10.00am. Free (booking required)

Session 2: An hour of silversmith demonstrations with Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto
Time: 11.00am. Free (booking required)

LUNCHTIME TALK

Lunchtime Talk: Chair of Contemporary British Silversmiths Angela Cork will interview Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto about their Clothworkers’ Loving Cup commissions, and Clothworkers’ Senior Archivist, Jessica Collins, about the significance of the Loving Cup and Clothworkers’ silver collection.

Time: 1.00 – 2.00pm (doors open at 12.30pm)
Cost: £10, booking required. Coffee and tea available upon arrival.

MEET THE MAKERS [AFTERNOON DEMONSTRATIONS] – FREE

Session 3: An hour of silversmith demonstrations with Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto
Time: 2.30pm. Free (booking required)

Session 4: An hour of silversmith demonstrations with Miriam Hanid and Yusuke Yamamoto
Time: 3.30pm. Free (booking required)

ABOUT THE CLOTHWORKERS’ COMPANY
Founded by Royal Charter in 1528, the original purpose of The Clothworkers’ Company was to protect its members and promote the craft of cloth-finishing within the City of London. The Clothworkers’ Company values its past and traditions, but seeks to build upon its heritage and find ways for the Company to have a useful and relevant role in today’s society.

Although few of its present members are involved in the textile industry in any direct way, they continue to support textiles, principally through educational grants, fostering the development of technical textiles and colour science, and support for the nation’s textile heritage. The assets of The Company, which are based on property and investments, are used to support The Clothworkers’ Foundation, which is a registered charity and one of the largest grant-makers in Britain. As one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies, The Clothworkers’ Company enjoys a close bond of friendship and co-operation with other livery companies and the City Corporation. The Company takes pride in performing its civic obligations and contributing to the living history of London.

For further information about The Clothworkers’ Company visit: www.clothworkers.co.uk

In promoting the design and creativity of the silversmith, it has worked closely with institutions such as the Goldsmiths’ Company, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Christie’s, Bonhams and the Silver Trust Collection at Downing Street to create bespoke exhibitions that support its aims of promoting and celebrating contemporary silver to a global audience. A central focus of its work is to raise the profile of contemporary silver to the public through demonstrations, educational workshops and telling the story of its craftspeople and attract the public to the prospect of owning and commissioning silver. Previous demonstrations have featured the Georg Jensen workshops, Rebecca de Quin, Junko Mori and Abigail Brown.
For further information on Contemporary British Silversmiths: www.contemporarybritishsilversmiths.org

For further information about London Craft Week

Jane Short, one of Britain’s leading artist enamellers, demonstrates hand engraving and how she prepares the surface of silver with intricate pattern and texture before applying enamel.

Miriam Hanid is a leading artist silversmith, who employs the decorative techniques of chasing and engraving as a focal point in her work, adding form and light to her creations and their surfaces. She demonstrates hand engraving on a silver tumbler, giving the audience an insight into the life of a silversmith and the bespoke nature of her handcrafted commissions.

Demonstration, 9 May 11:00 — 16:00

V&A Website Link

Press Release

Booking Details
Booking not necessary, free

Room 66
Silver Discovery Area, Silver Galleries
V&A
Cromwell Road
London
SW7 2RL

Google map

vam.ac.uk

This month Contemporary British Silversmiths and the Goldsmiths’ Centre are working in partnership to launch an innovative skills training programme that will protect and promote excellence in British silversmithing skills.

Contemporary British Silversmiths’ and the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s mission is to preserve making skills for future generations and provide professional development opportunities at every key stage in a craftsperson’s career.

CBS is proud to have amongst its membership masters of, and specialists within, complex silversmithing skills such as raising, forging, box making, hand engraving and chasing. CBS is therefore working with the Goldsmiths’ Centre to safeguard the future of these endangered higher level British craft skills by passing them on, through its membership, to the next generation.

Chair of Contemporary British Silversmiths, Angela Cork says: “we are delighted to be the first skills training partner organisation of the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Contemporary British Silversmiths has worked hard over the last few years to collaborate and develop partnerships with organisations interested in promoting and preserving contemporary silversmithing. Partnering with the Goldsmiths’ Centre is a major step forward in creating an industry led project that will provide key high-level skills training for our craft and is a new way of working for both organisations. We both welcome enquiries from other institutions that are keen to be involved with training silversmiths.”

Conceived in 2015 by silversmith and Contemporary British Silversmiths former Chair, Rauni Higson, the skills training programme developed from a pilot course, focused on training offered by retired silversmith Tony Bedford. Since stepping down as Chair of Contemporary British Silversmiths, Rauni has concentrated her time and resources to heading up the Skills Training Programme subcommittee.

Thanks to early support from forward-thinking sponsors Incorporation of Goldsmiths, the Pearson Foundation and the Goldsmiths’ Centre, Rauni engaged Sally Dodson as Programme Manager to help develop the concept and officially programme the CBS Skills Training Programme in partnership with the Goldsmiths’ Centre.

Rauni Higson from CBS says: “the Skills Training Programme is about offering industry led quality training. Because it was developed by silversmiths for silversmiths, we will be providing the most effective learning routes in terms of structure, format, location and resources. I am honoured to be working closely with such talented individuals and having access to and sharing that great pool of knowledge and experience”.

The Programme is unique in that it will facilitate and give an opportunity to professional silversmiths to teach and pass on their skills on residential courses where the knowledge sharing goes beyond the workshop into the evening. The aim of the initiative will become self-fulfilling as students from the courses will teach on workshops further on in the Programme. Teaching resources will be written by the tutors with expert technical and editing support from the association. These will be made available for each course and can be accessed by those members of Contemporary British Silversmiths or the Goldsmiths’ Centre who have not been able to attend the course in person, thus extending the reach of skills transfer.

Sally Dodson from CBS says: “having worked in the crafts industry for over 15 years, I am acutely aware of the need to preserve high end craft skills. I am delighted to be working with such a passionate and energetic organisation as Contemporary British Silversmiths on a project that will make a real difference in preserving, supporting and developing the best of British silversmithing through this innovative programme.” Peter Taylor, Director of the Goldsmiths’ Centre, explains: “The preservation of traditional skills is central to the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s education and training programme. Our ability to form meaningful partnerships with organisations such as CBS is allowing for this to occur on an ever-increasing scale. To provide our support to a programme, which not only equips practicing craftspeople with additional skills but actively seeks to work with the Centre and enables individuals to share them, is a model we would like to see replicated.

Alongside our Silver Speaks: ‘Idea to Object’ display in the Silver Galleries at the V&A, acclaimed silversmith Rebecca de Quin spent the day in the Galleries demonstrating her technique of quilting silver. We had an unprecedented interest and spent the day talking to over 240 visitors to the demonstration, showing that there is a keen interest in the skills of our highly trained silversmiths.

Visitors had an opportunity to view the Silver Speaks: ‘Idea to Object‘ display, curated for Contemporary British Silversmiths by design critic and journalist Corinne Julius who also gave a gallery talk to 53 visitors to the V&A Silver Galleries. Also on display was the latest commission for the Silver Trust, destined for Number 10 by Junko Mori.

Silver Speaks is a year long programme of events created by Contemporary British Silversmiths to celebrate silver in contemporary life. The event continues until July 2017. To view the full programme click here.

Members of Contemporary British Silversmiths also put on a talk entitled ‘The Silversmiths’ Toolbox’ at the Goldsmiths’ Centre and Vicki Ambery-Smith and Mary Ann Simmons gave a talk on silversmithing and architecture.

The London Design Festival is an annual event, held to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world and as the gateway to the international creative community.  Silver Speaks, an exciting programme of events organised by Contemporary British Silversmiths, the leading association for design-based contemporary silver.

London Design Festival Photography: Mark Cocksedge
Silver Speaks Photography: Karin Paynter