The Pedestal: When did your interest in silver begin, were there family connections to the trade, or silver collections in your family?
Michael: My interest was piqued by chance. I started out as a porter at Philips, initially working with carpets and furniture. Unfortunately, I was allergic to carpets so I had to re-locate to the silver department. Here I handled around 250 pieces a week, so I saw a tremendous amount of silver in a short space of time. I enjoyed the historical component in silver. Many of the dealer clients shared their knowledge with me, one in particular, Michael Wellby, delighted in talking about various mis-catalogued items he had picked up at less diligent auction houses. Early on I was also mentored by one of the senior specialists at Phillips who was particularly interested in continental silver. I really did build my expertise on the job.
It is such a broad collecting area, what particularly appeals to you, and from what era?
Small silver in a wide variety of styles attracts me, for example, snuff boxes, which are highly personal and invariably come with a fascinating story.
Continental silver also intrigues me as there is always an element of detective work around determining where to research the mark. If one can identify the style of the piece then this is first step in sourcing the mark.
You’ve handled some rare, world class items in the course of your career, tell us about one of your stand-out pieces?
One of the rarest pieces to pass through my hands was a 17th century silver bowl which was brought into me at Phillips as it had not been previously successfully identified by any other auction house. I immediately recognised the bull’s head emblem it bore as the badge of Moldavia, one of the components of modern day Romania. I sent photos of the cyrillic initials on the bowl to a professor at the School of Slavonic Studies who specialised in Romanian history and he was able to identify these as a voivoda or prince of Moldavia from a book plate that they held there, thus establishing a fascinating provenance; we went on to sell this piece very successfully in Geneva.
English, Continental, American silver – we tend to categorise silver into these regions, why is that and what distinguishes each of these?
English silver is regarded as having the best and most comprehensive hallmarking system, whereas other countries don’t tend to use the same combination of symbols, namely marks for purity, maker, date and assay office. The English silver mark tells us a great deal about the piece in question.
With the exception of Paris, the Netherlands and Sweden, the date tends not to be marked in Continental and American silver, and pieces often only bear the maker’s mark. For example, I was asked to value a tazza which had been dismissed as an Irish provincial piece, as it was English in style. However, the maker’s mark helped me to identify it as 18thc. and from America.
Thinking about specific makers and workshops in terms of their design, whose aesthetic and output do you particularly admire?
I very much like mixed metals. Tiffany and Gorham both copied the Japanese technique of applying copper and gold to silver objects. Pieces by both makers are rare and not often seen at auction, and this of course adds to the attraction.
Also, pieces from the early 18th century by Huguenot makers working in England. Of these Paul de Lamerie is perhaps the best known, and his pieces are extremely fine. George Wickes is another maker from this era and a contemporary of Lamerie, (although not a Huguenot); he is considered by many to be as significant.
And, Omar Ramsden & Alwyn Carr, who worked together from 1898 in Chelsea. They favoured old designs, such as the romantic medieval revival style with hammered surfaces, and brought them up to date in the context of the Arts and Crafts movement with contemporary, inventive twists.
For the novice collector, where is a good place to start for their first purchase?
I would suggest spoons – having been made over the course of many centuries they cover a huge number of different marks and truly tell the history of silver. There are thousands available, so there is a lot of choice and, of course, you can use them too.
What drew you to working at The Pedestal?
I was impressed by The Pedestal’s unique business model, as well as the enthusiasm and professionalism of the founders. They produce a beautiful catalogue for every auction, equal if not better than those from the larger auction houses, and they have great respect for expertise. I admire and appreciate these qualities and am delighted to have joined the team.
What can we expect to see in these forthcoming auctions?
At Moor Park we’ll be offering traditional silver from the 16thc to the 20th century, which will appeal across the board to all silver collectors.
Our first London auction this October will feature design and contemporary pieces with lifestyle and luxury in mind.
At The Pedestal we adore silver, for everyday use and to dress an interior or a smart dining table – how can we engineer a silver revival?
I would suggest presenting silver in an unexpected setting, for example traditional pieces with contemporary furniture and art. This presents silver’s design and form and allows it to shine in a minimalist environment.
If you could own just one item of silver, what would that be?
It would have to be a mixed metal jug by Tiffany, with its appealing elegant design, aesthetic and craftsmanship.