Silver and native hardwood, Birmingham hallmarks for 1965-66, mark of Robert Welch, RDI.

Silver, native hardwood, containing a testimonial printed on hand made paper. The mace sits on a plain circular, native hardwood base made up of two dovetailed disc sections. A circular band of silver is set into the top with the engraved legend: THE FREEDOM OF SPIRAX-SARCO MR AND MRS L.G. NORTHCROFT. In the centre is a small silver flat topped dome, stamped with the lion passant and date letter for 1965-6 which supports a hardwood rod surmounted by a plain hardwood finial to which five sheets of hand made paper along its length by a glued, light blue cloth strip. These sheets of paper have the names and addresses of all the Spirax-Sarco employees who subscribed to the presentation gift of the tray and jewel by Louis Osman (M.40:1-5,-1994) and this mace. The first sheet has the following heading, printed in cursive script: Mr and Mrs L.G. Northcroft. Receive this staff with our gratitude and affection. Knock with it upon our door and hospitality will be yours all the days of your life. The mace, of silver, is a circular sleeve which swells to a spherical head and attaches to the base by a bayonet fitting. It is made in two sections; the sleeve and the bottom half of the head form one sheet of silver while the domed top has been raised from a silver disc. The seam is barely visible around the middle.

Robert Welch (1929-2000) was trained at the Birmingham School of Art under Ralph Baxendale and Cyril Shiner. From 1952 to 1955 he was at the Royal College of Art, after which he was appointed as design consultant to J.J. Wiggin of Sheffield, manufacturers of stainless steel tableware. Throughout his career he undertook many industrial design commissions (he designed the stainless steel tableware for the Orient liner Oriana) while continuing to practise as a silversmith.

M.41:1-1994