THE exhibition of art metal work recently held by the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Braziers at their hall in Coleman Street, EC., was very creditable. In the interest of those of our readers who were unable to make a personal visit thereto we have pleasure in reproducing herewith just a few of the most notable pieces of work shown there. The number of those who were aware of the existence of the exhibition whilst its doors were open to the public was, comparatively speaking, exceedingly small, and thus the opportunity of seeing and studying thoroughly good English metalwork, and of noting the progress made of late years in that all-important branch of industry, was not so generally appreciated, nor taken as great advantage of, as it might and should have been. The Armourers and Braziers’ Company had five rooms of their fine hall filled with the numerous productions which had been sent in to them for display, according to the conditions under which the exhibition was held. The conditions of the Exhibition were well judged, and the proceedings throughout left but little opportunity for discontent. The names of the craftsman and designer were required to be attached to each exhibit, and, excepting only in two classes, none but British subjects were permitted to compete.
We cannot pretend to give a complete review of the whole display, but have reproduced some of the exhibits which were either fresh in character, or of more than ordinary merit, and it is to these that we shall confine our remarks.
Whoever did or did not take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the Company to exhibit their skill, there were two important organisations which were thoroughly well represented, and whose work contributed in a very large degree to the success of the undertaking. The Guild and School of Handicraft of London, and the Birmingham Municipal School of Art, divided the. honours of having sent the largest collections of work pretty equally, and both institutions gave ample evidence of the excellence of their systems of art education and development. Had it been possible, we should have liked to have illustrated many of the productions which came from both sources, as a high quality of skill —both in design and execution —was manifested; but a few must suffice.
A member of the Guild and School of Handicraft was successful, and deservedly so, in carrying off the first prize offered by the past master of the Company for the best lock and finger-plate with knob, in finished brass. As these plates were intended for use in the Company’s Hall, a specified size was given, to which size the workman had to adapt his design, and the successful competitor carried out his work in a spirit which must be highly commended.
Messrs. C. Barber and J. R. Divine were responsible for a pair of dainty little four-light candelabra which merited great praise, both for design and workmanship. One of these two candelabra is sketched in Fig. 1, which will indicate the graceful proportion and general form of the articles. The two unique fenders shown in Figs. 3 and 4 come from the workshops of the Guild and School of Handicraft, and are quite in keeping with the traditions of that useful undertaking. They are in wrought iron and copper repoussé. The beauty of brass and copper thus hammered out far eclipses anything in a cast direction. Perhaps the prettiest among the electric fittings exhibited is shown by our Fig. 2 above. The great charm of this display lay in the fact that handwork is gradually taking the place of the products of the founder’s mould.
