Collection of works by one of the most important silversmiths of the 20th century up for auction at Dreweatts

Dreweatts is to auction a collection of works by the great Gerald Benney (1930-2008), the most important designer in the revival of British silversmithing in post-Second World War Britain, whose home and studio was in Beenham.

Born in Hull, East Yorkshire in 1930, Benney’s career lasted more than half-a-century and in 1995 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his ‘services to art’, due to his unique style and the exceptional quality and finish of his pieces.

Among his many commissions was the altar plate in Coventry Cathedral and his popularity among the Royal family meant that he became the first ever craftsman to hold four Royal Warrants at the same time in the 1970s and 1980s. These included being Goldsmith and Silversmith to the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen, the Queen Mother and Prince of Wales. Benney’s impact on the art of silversmithing was so significant that his works can be found in many important collections, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Goldsmiths' Company and The Crafts Council.

Commenting on the works going up for auction, James Nicholson, deputy chairman, international head of jewellery, silver and watches at Dreweatts, said: “It is exciting to offer this collection of Gerald Benney pieces, which show the evolution of his craftsmanship and design from the 1960s onwards, and his determination to save the almost extinct art of enamelling. The importance of Gerald Benney's contribution to post war British silversmithing is beyond question.”

The works will be offered in a sale of Fine Jewellery, Silver, Watches and Luxury Accessories at Dreweatts on July 7.

For a video of Dreweatts managing director Jonathan Pratt, discussing Gerald Benney’s works go to: https://youtu.be/p4970JYST2o

Benney came from an artistic background, his father was Principal of Brighton Art College and a painter and his mother was an talented silversmith in her own right. After attending Brighton College of Art, and later the Royal College of Art in London, he set up his first silver workshop off Tottenham Court Road in the early 1950s. Throughout the 1950s Gerald’s reputation grew and he received numerous commissions from corporate and private clients and he became a design consultant for Viners cutlers and silversmiths in Sheffield.

He began to create huge silver bowls with free-form pierced covers, which became one of his specialities and he produced over 50 of them in varying designs during his career. One such bowl is included in this sale. It features a stunning removable gold-coloured and aquamarine brooch at its centre, set with a removable circular cut aquamarine. It has a sleek polished border and an openwork centre with silver gilt stacked batons at intervals. The textured arrow and ribbed panels add to the decorative effect. Dating from 1965, it is estimated to fetch £4,000-£6,000 (Lot 109).

During the 1960s, a workshop accident of using a damaged hammer head while hand-raising a cup bowl, enabled Gerald to discover one of his most distinctive decorative features. The damaged hammer head had created a textured bark finish on the pieces, rather than a plain polished surface and Benney incorporated this finish into many of his objects, which ultimately became known as the ‘Benney Bark Finish’.

There are several pieces in the sale with Benney’s bark finish, including a striking set of six silver goblets, dating from 1968 and 1969, which carry an estimate of £3,000-£5,000 (Lot 108) and a pair of silver cylindrical salt and pepper cellars dating from 1969 / 1972, with an estimate of £300-£500 (Lot 107).

In 1964 Benney and his family moved to Beenham House, enabling him to create an additional studio workshop in the house. It was at Beenham House that he began producing his signature enamel boxes and by the 1970s enamels were added to a whole range of his pieces.

Enamelling had almost become a lost art by the 1970s, but Benney persuaded Norwegian master enameller, Berger Bergersen to come to England to teach him the art of enamelling. Bergersen had learned his enamel craft at Bolin in Stockholm, from some of Fabergé’s enamellers, after they had fled to Sweden following the Russian Revolution. Through much experimentation and practice Benney and his team undertook the most complicated enamelling techniques on the most technically demanding surfaces, with outstanding results.

The most popular of his enamel works were small beautifully crafted boxes, for which he became synonymous. One such example in the sale is an 18 carat gold, enamel and opal oval box that he produced in 1975. It features green translucent enamel over a diamond pattern ground and the cover is set with an oval opal.

This exceptionally high quality, beautifully intricate vibrant green box is a spectacular demonstration of his skill and is estimated to fetch £5,000-£8,000 (Lot 111). Another example is an 18 carat gold and enamel circular box with Master Enameller's marks for Alan Alfred Evans. It features red translucent enamel over a sunburst ground and also dates from 1975. It is estimated to fetch £4,000-£6,000 (Lot 112).

A colourful pair of silver gilt and enamel goblets by Benney feature a green and red translucent enamel over a bark-effect textured ground. With ivory-coloured stems and sitting on circular feet, they bear the Master Enameller's mark for Robert Vidal Winter, London 1971 and are estimated to fetch £2,500-£3,500 (Lot 110).

Also included in the collection are pair of silver gilt and enamel goblets by Gerald Benney, 1971. Estimate £2,500-£3.500 (lot 110)