Dish by Gilbert Marks

1898 Dish by Gilbert Marks

Measurements: Diameter: 42.4 cm. Maker’s mark: Gilbert Marks.  Britannia Standard.

Gilbert Marks (1861-1905) had a short but prominent career; he was regarded as one of the most skilled silversmith of his generation. His first solo exhibition in 1895 was reviewed in the September publication of Studio of that same year. It prized his treatment of the metal, specifically the way he left the natural white colour of silver and the marks of the tools he had used to chase or hammer the designs. In an age when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing and machine made objects were the norm, his visible handcraft and plain designs were celebrated.  The decorative border on this dish is chased with leaping salmon emerging from a river. Purchased by the Company in 1971.