Fish slice
Fish Slice
2002 (made)
2002 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Made by Christopher Lawrence, this piece is beautifully sculptured and is made from gold, rubies and pearls. However the function is not compromised by decoration and this is exemplified by the ingenious swivel handle.
Christopher Lawrence was born in 1936 and is Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He is based in Essex. He decided that he wanted to become a silversmith at the age of 13 after paying a visit to a silver factory as a boy scout. His father built him a workshop at the bottom of the family garden for him to learn his skills in and he then went on to attend the Central School of Arts in London. He was apprenticed to C J Vander as a tray maker and flat hammer man at the age of 15. At the age of 21, Lawrence worked at R E Stone alongside a number of reputed craftsmen. He stayed there for two years and learned how to hand raise with a hammer. He then spent a decade working as Gerald Benney’s workshop manager before setting up his own workshop in the late 1960s. Lawrence is a member of the institute of Professional Goldsmiths and is an expert at hand-raising.
Christopher Lawrence was born in 1936 and is Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He is based in Essex. He decided that he wanted to become a silversmith at the age of 13 after paying a visit to a silver factory as a boy scout. His father built him a workshop at the bottom of the family garden for him to learn his skills in and he then went on to attend the Central School of Arts in London. He was apprenticed to C J Vander as a tray maker and flat hammer man at the age of 15. At the age of 21, Lawrence worked at R E Stone alongside a number of reputed craftsmen. He stayed there for two years and learned how to hand raise with a hammer. He then spent a decade working as Gerald Benney’s workshop manager before setting up his own workshop in the late 1960s. Lawrence is a member of the institute of Professional Goldsmiths and is an expert at hand-raising.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Fish slice |
| Materials and techniques | Sterling silver, gilt, ruby and pearl, marble plinth |
| Brief description | Sterling silver, gilt, ruby and pearl fish slice with marble stand, made by Christopher Lawrence, 2002 |
| Physical description | The simple trowel-shaped blade of this server is laid on a marble plinth, the polished silver beautifully complementing the dark green marble. However the handle itself and the embellishment at the tip of the plinth are truly astounding examples of silver modelling. The handle is a wondrously intricate and accurate angler fish with needle-sharp teeth and a large gaping mouth, within which a pearl suspended on a line acts as bait. The swept back tail and body are delicately engraved with scales. The large eyes are ruby, enhancing the sense of glamour evoked by the gilding. At the tip of the plinth, acting as a retainer for the blade, is a reed bed with a gilt prey fish, echoing and balancing the visual effect of the handle. Ingeniously, the handle swivels on its silver support column for compact storage. This luxurious piece is beautifully sculptured yet retains a strong sense of functionality exemplified by the swivelling handle. |
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| Gallery label | This collection of silver slices, all commissioned over a period of twenty years by Professor Benton Seymour Rabinovitch FRS, is proof of the skill and diversity of contemporary silversmiths. Each artist craftsman has responded to the familiar functional form of the slice in an individual way, producing an astonishingly diverse range of interpretations. Each piece becomes an enchanting, decorative work of art. Professor Rabinovitch established a close rapport with each artist, always encouraging a freedom of creative expression. The response of these silversmiths has been not only to be strikingly imaginative but also to honour him by giving him their best work.
This collection is testimony to the significant contribution that one individual can make to supporting the craft of silversmithing. After commissioning work from some of the most illustrious names in British and North American silversmithing, Professor Rabinovitch has very generously donated his entire collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum, through the American Friends of the V&A.(2005) |
| Credit line | Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Professor B. Seymour Rabinovitch |
| Object history | Fairfax House Fish & Cake slice exhibition RF.2004/419 Historical significance: Lawrence focuses on striking a balance between the aesthetic and functional aspects of his work. Lawrence uses colour and humour to bring his design to life, this piece sets a personal precedent in drawing inspiration from marine life. |
| Historical context | Part of a collection of fish slices commissioned by Professor Rabinovitch from contemporary North American and British makers. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Made by Christopher Lawrence, this piece is beautifully sculptured and is made from gold, rubies and pearls. However the function is not compromised by decoration and this is exemplified by the ingenious swivel handle. Christopher Lawrence was born in 1936 and is Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He is based in Essex. He decided that he wanted to become a silversmith at the age of 13 after paying a visit to a silver factory as a boy scout. His father built him a workshop at the bottom of the family garden for him to learn his skills in and he then went on to attend the Central School of Arts in London. He was apprenticed to C J Vander as a tray maker and flat hammer man at the age of 15. At the age of 21, Lawrence worked at R E Stone alongside a number of reputed craftsmen. He stayed there for two years and learned how to hand raise with a hammer. He then spent a decade working as Gerald Benney’s workshop manager before setting up his own workshop in the late 1960s. Lawrence is a member of the institute of Professional Goldsmiths and is an expert at hand-raising. |
| Bibliographic reference | Benton Seymour Rabinovitch, Contemporary Silver, Part II: Recent Commissions, 2005, p.29 |
| Other number | LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.87-2005 - previous loan number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.60:1, 2-2008 |
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| Record created | July 12, 2007 |
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