Muffin Dish thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Muffin Dish

1900-1901 (hallmarked)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Charles Robert Ashbee established the Guild of Handicraft in 1888. Influenced by Ruskin and Morris, he intended the Guild to be a co-operative venture which would encourage the full creative potential of the craftsman. At the turn of the century, the Guild was at the height of its success and had evolved a distinctive and mature style. Softly planished surfaces decorated with chasing and embossing were characteristic of Ashbee's designs and had a significant effect on contemporary silver in Europe and America as well as Britain. Financially however, the Guild was less successful and in 1908, Ashbee was forced to wind up its affairs.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Dish
  • Liner
  • Cover
Materials and techniques
Silver set with semiprecious stones
Brief description
Muffin dish, liner and cover, silver, London hallmarks for 1900-01, mark of C.R. Ashbee.
Physical description
Muffin dish, liner and cover, silver, circular dish with a flange ornamented with beading on the inner edge and set with three chrysoprases. The cover a shaped dome surmounted by a silver wire finial with five brackets supporting a spherical semi-precious stone.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15cm
  • Diameter: 22cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • London hallmarks for 1900-01
  • Mark of Charles Robert Ashbee
Credit line
Formerly in the collection of Charles and Lavinia Handley-Read
Object history
This muffin dish, formerly in the collection of Martin Battersby, was shown at the Art Nouveau exhibition held at the Brighton Art Gallery and Museum in 1964 (catalogue number: 27) and at the exhibition of the same title held at the Grosvenor Gallery in 1965-66 (catalogue no: 246). Plated versions of the muffin dish were also made; one is illustrated in Arts and Crafts in Campden, a catalogue issued by the Guild of Handicraft after its removal to Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire in 1902.
Subject depicted
Summary
Charles Robert Ashbee established the Guild of Handicraft in 1888. Influenced by Ruskin and Morris, he intended the Guild to be a co-operative venture which would encourage the full creative potential of the craftsman. At the turn of the century, the Guild was at the height of its success and had evolved a distinctive and mature style. Softly planished surfaces decorated with chasing and embossing were characteristic of Ashbee's designs and had a significant effect on contemporary silver in Europe and America as well as Britain. Financially however, the Guild was less successful and in 1908, Ashbee was forced to wind up its affairs.
Collection
Accession number
M.42:1 to 3-1972

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Record createdJune 1, 1998
Record URL
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