Casket
1909 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Caskets, in either silver or gold, became popular in the 19th century as receptacles for presentation scrolls of address.
Historical Associations
The Glasgow School of Art was the last and greatest of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's architectural commissions. Sir James Fleming for whom this casket was made, was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the School of Art and was responsible for selecting and commissioning Mackintosh to design the new building.
People
The casket has Glasgow hallmarks for 1909 and a maker's mark WAD. The mark presumably refers to William Armstrong Davidson who set up a metalwork and design studio with his brother Peter Wylie Davidson in Glasgow in the 1890s. The Studio magazine described Davidson as a 'rare craftsman' whose 'workmanship is superlative'. In 1919, he moved to Dundee to become Head of the Modelling and Metalwork Department, a post he held for 28 years. He died in 1963.
Time
Although the Glasgow School of Art is now widely seen as one of the important foundation stones of the Modern Movement, it received no publicity when it was finished in 1909. By then, the distinctive Scottish style which Mackintosh had done so much to develop was becoming distinctly unfashionable and Mackintosh's career thereafter went into a steady decline.
Caskets, in either silver or gold, became popular in the 19th century as receptacles for presentation scrolls of address.
Historical Associations
The Glasgow School of Art was the last and greatest of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's architectural commissions. Sir James Fleming for whom this casket was made, was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the School of Art and was responsible for selecting and commissioning Mackintosh to design the new building.
People
The casket has Glasgow hallmarks for 1909 and a maker's mark WAD. The mark presumably refers to William Armstrong Davidson who set up a metalwork and design studio with his brother Peter Wylie Davidson in Glasgow in the 1890s. The Studio magazine described Davidson as a 'rare craftsman' whose 'workmanship is superlative'. In 1919, he moved to Dundee to become Head of the Modelling and Metalwork Department, a post he held for 28 years. He died in 1963.
Time
Although the Glasgow School of Art is now widely seen as one of the important foundation stones of the Modern Movement, it received no publicity when it was finished in 1909. By then, the distinctive Scottish style which Mackintosh had done so much to develop was becoming distinctly unfashionable and Mackintosh's career thereafter went into a steady decline.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Silver, set with lapis lazuli and varieties of chalcedony and lined with ebony |
| Brief description | Presentation casket of silver with lapis lazuli, chalcedony,chrysoprase and lined with ebony, Glasgow, 1909, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and made by WAD (thought to be P. Wylie Davidson). |
| Physical description | The casket is rectangular, sitting on a stepped base and with a hinged lid and scroll thumbpiece. It is made from silver and the lid set with lapis lazuli and varieties of chalcedony. An inscription of raised lettering has been applied around the top of the box, just below the lid. The interior is lined with ebony and contains an illuminated parchment scroll addressed to Sir James Fleming, Chairman of the Governors of the Glasgow School of Art. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This silver casket has an inscription engraved in the characteristic elongated typeface associated with the Glasgow style. It was designed by Mackintosh for presentation to Sir James Fleming, the Chairman of the Governors of the Glasgow School of Art, when it opened. The School is one of the most famous buildings designed by Mackintosh.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Presented to Sir James Fleming on the opening of the extension of the Glasgow Art School building, 1909. Presented by C.R. Mackintosh on behalf of the donors. Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (born in Glasgow, 1868, died in London, 1928); probably made by P. Wylie Davidson, Glasgow |
| Historical context | Sir James Fleming was Chairman of the Governors of the Glasgow School of Art and he opened the new wing of the school which had been built to a design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type Caskets, in either silver or gold, became popular in the 19th century as receptacles for presentation scrolls of address. Historical Associations The Glasgow School of Art was the last and greatest of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's architectural commissions. Sir James Fleming for whom this casket was made, was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the School of Art and was responsible for selecting and commissioning Mackintosh to design the new building. People The casket has Glasgow hallmarks for 1909 and a maker's mark WAD. The mark presumably refers to William Armstrong Davidson who set up a metalwork and design studio with his brother Peter Wylie Davidson in Glasgow in the 1890s. The Studio magazine described Davidson as a 'rare craftsman' whose 'workmanship is superlative'. In 1919, he moved to Dundee to become Head of the Modelling and Metalwork Department, a post he held for 28 years. He died in 1963. Time Although the Glasgow School of Art is now widely seen as one of the important foundation stones of the Modern Movement, it received no publicity when it was finished in 1909. By then, the distinctive Scottish style which Mackintosh had done so much to develop was becoming distinctly unfashionable and Mackintosh's career thereafter went into a steady decline. |
| Bibliographic reference | Greenhalgh, Paul (Ed.), Art Nouveau: 1890-1914 . London: V&A Publications, 2000
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.29&A-1975 |
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| Record created | September 4, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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