Dragon Clock thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case M, Shelf 74

Dragon Clock

Design
c.2012 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Susan Phillips McMeekin is a British designing goldsmith and a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company, best known for designing high-end objects for Royalty and Heads of State during a career spanning some fifty years. Originally trained in jewellery design and silver smithing at the Royal College of Art, she has applied the techniques of jewellery design to a range of luxury objects, including clocks, gold boxes, pens, handbags, lamps, tableware and objets d'art. McMeekin has been self employed throughout her career, and has designed for McCabe McCarty (now David McCarty Ltd.) since 1977. Many of McMeekin's commissions come from clients in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. Her work is characterised by the use of gold and precious stones, Plique-à-jour enamel, and the inclusion of mechanised moving parts. She frequently includes imagery taken from the natural world and conducts extensive research into the flora and fauna of the local region before including it in her designs.

McMeekin makes extensive preparatory drawings before executing each piece. Her work includes private roughs, drawings communicating instructions to the craftsmen who execute her designs, and highly-finished gouache presentation drawings.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDragon Clock
Materials and techniques
Pencil on paper
Brief description
Drawing by Susan Phillips McMeekin, rough design for 'Dragon Clock', pencil on paper, Britain, c. 2012
Physical description
Working drawing for ‘Dragon Clock’ in pencil on paper. The clock consists of a clock face set above a Chinese dragon.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.8cm
  • Width: 21cm
Credit line
Given by Susan Phillips McMeekin
Production
The 'Dragon Clock' was designed by Susan Phillips McMeekin for a Chinese client via an international company in Paris to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It was made of rock crystal, gold, diamonds, coloured stones and enamel.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Susan Phillips McMeekin is a British designing goldsmith and a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company, best known for designing high-end objects for Royalty and Heads of State during a career spanning some fifty years. Originally trained in jewellery design and silver smithing at the Royal College of Art, she has applied the techniques of jewellery design to a range of luxury objects, including clocks, gold boxes, pens, handbags, lamps, tableware and objets d'art. McMeekin has been self employed throughout her career, and has designed for McCabe McCarty (now David McCarty Ltd.) since 1977. Many of McMeekin's commissions come from clients in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. Her work is characterised by the use of gold and precious stones, Plique-à-jour enamel, and the inclusion of mechanised moving parts. She frequently includes imagery taken from the natural world and conducts extensive research into the flora and fauna of the local region before including it in her designs.

McMeekin makes extensive preparatory drawings before executing each piece. Her work includes private roughs, drawings communicating instructions to the craftsmen who execute her designs, and highly-finished gouache presentation drawings.
Collection
Accession number
E.221-2015

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Record createdJune 17, 2015
Record URL
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