Candelabra, silver, London hallmarks for 1980, mark of Robert Welch

One of a pair of silver 8-light candelabra with circular foot and double knopped stem with 8 branches each with circular sockets with knopped undersides, an oval knop forming the central finial. Candelabra, one of a pair, silver, domed circular foot bearing an inscription, rising into the the stem which is composed of four compressed spheres of varying size, with a spool between, each girdled by a band of moulding. From the largest (the second from the top) project eight spool shaped arms, emerging at right angles to the moulded band which they interrupt. At the end of each, is a compressed sphere with a small spherical drop; the bowl shaped candleholder at the top has a flat rim and a depression surrounding the candle socket.

Exhibitions:
“Jewellery & Precious Metals at the Design Centre”, Design Centre, April/May - 1987

One of a pair of candlesticks commissioned by the Director, Sir Roy Strong, for the Museum's permanent collections. Robert Welch trained at the Birmingham School of Art under Ralph Baxandale and Cyril Shiner. From 1952-55 he attended the Royal College of Art, after which he was appointed as design consultant to J. J. Wiggin of Walsall, who were the pioneers in the production of stainless steel tableware in Britain. His designs for Wiggins, under the Old Hall label, won the company three Design Centre Awards. Throughout his career, apart from his flourishing industrial design consultancies, he practised as a highly successful silversmith, undertaking several important commissions for Goldsmiths' Hall.

LABEL:
Design: drawing in pencil and graphite frottage on paper, Robert Welch
Model: painted wood, made in the Robert Welch workshop
Candelabrum, one of a pair: silver, London 1980, by John Limbrey of the Robert Welch workshop
The candelabra are inscribed: TENEBRAS FUGO: OCULOS LAETOR: NOCTEM CORONAS. R.S. ME FIERI FECIT: V & A 1980 (I put darkness to flight, rejoice the eyes, crowning the night. R(oy) S(trong) had me made: V & A 1980)
These three objects trace the design process for a pair candelabra commissioned in 1980 by the Museum's Director, Roy Strong for use at official functions and for inclusion in the permanent collections.

Welch produced five sketches of candelabra in December 1979 from which the final selection was made. He described in 1985 how "a candelabrum of round juicy shapes began to emerge. I showed a few of these sketches to [the Museum] and to my joy they all agreed on the sketch that I myself liked most."

Wooden models give the client a good idea of the proposed design and an estimate of the amount of silver required. The Museum inspected this model in early 1980. The silver candelabra were finished by the autumn of the same year. John Limbrey, a silversmith in Robert Welch's workshop expertly interpreted the intentions of the head of the firm through long acquaintance with his work.

This is one of a pair of candlesticks commissioned by a former Director of the V&A, Sir Roy Strong, for the Museum's permanent collections. Robert Welch trained at the Birmingham School of Art under Ralph Baxandale and Cyril Shiner. From 1952 to 1955 he attended the Royal College of Art, after which he was appointed as design consultant to J. J. Wiggin of Walsall, who were the pioneers in the production of stainless steel tableware in Britain. His designs for Wiggins, under the Old Hall label, won the company three Design Centre Awards. Throughout his career, apart from his flourishing industrial design consultancies, he practised as a highly successful silversmith, undertaking several important commissions for Goldsmiths' Hall.

M.61A-1980