Casket made for the Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Company, 1909-1910, London.

Silver gilt casket with royal crest finial and with applied and chased decoration with enamel plaques. The enamelled decoration shows a view of the south wing of the V&A. The rear panel is inscribed with an address by the Mayor of Kensington to Edward VII. The lid bears the maker's mark and the date letter O.

Lent by His Majesty The King

1890 - The British government agreed to expand the V&A's premises and Aston Webb was selected from a competition as the designer/architect of the new building. Construction began in 1899 and the building was opened in 1909. It signified a change in the museum's approach to display, focussing on materials based displays rather than aesthetic/historical presentation. The re-arrangement provoked much publicity.

The 'new buildings', illustrated on the enamel plaque, refer to the Cromwell Road extension to the V&A, designed by the architect Aston Webb. The Daily Chronicle eulogised that the opening was 'the only bright spot in a week of unspeakable weather … actually the sun shone with special ardour when His Majesty spoke the words which pronounced the museum open forever.' The Daily Telegraph described this piece as 'a golden casket of exquisite workmanship'.

This casket was presented to King Edward VII by the Mayor, Aldermen and councillors of the Royal Borough of Kensington to celebrate his visit to the borough to open new buildings at the V&A in 1909. The 'new buildings', illustrated on the enamel plaque, refer to the Cromwell Road extension to the V&A, designed by the architect Aston Webb. The Daily Chronicle eulogised that the opening was 'the only bright spot in a week of unspeakable weather … actually the sun shone with special ardour when His Majesty spoke the words which pronounced the museum open forever.' The Daily Telegraph described this piece as 'a golden casket of exquisite workmanship'.

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