Centrepiece
1983 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Jocelyn Burton, winner of the De Beers Diamond Award, 1968, and made Freeman of the Goldsmiths' Company in 1974, has designed and made distinguished silver for several English institutions, notably St. Paul's Cathedral, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and many livery companies.
The Museum's brief for this commission required that the design of this centrepiece should directly reflect the spirit of the institution; the designer has taken the entrance tower of the Aston Webb extension, (begun 1899, completed 1909) as her starting point.
The Museum's brief for this commission required that the design of this centrepiece should directly reflect the spirit of the institution; the designer has taken the entrance tower of the Aston Webb extension, (begun 1899, completed 1909) as her starting point.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, cast pierced and chased set with moonstones on a black marble plinth. |
| Brief description | Centrepiece, silver, moonstones, black marble, England (London), mark of Jocelyn Burton, 1983 |
| Physical description | This table centrepiece sits on a square, polished, black marble plinth. Each side of the plinth has a rectangular section of silver, set with moonstones in each corner and bearing an inscription. The centrepiece is a scale, simplified model of the Aston Webb tower over the main entrance to the Museum. The arched "doorways" on each side are oxidised. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Unique |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | This centrepiece was commissioned by the Director, Sir Roy Strong, as part of a series of table ornaments by contemporary silversmiths for use at official entertainments. This centrepiece is to commemorate Sir Henry Cole's activities as first Director of the Museum. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Jocelyn Burton, winner of the De Beers Diamond Award, 1968, and made Freeman of the Goldsmiths' Company in 1974, has designed and made distinguished silver for several English institutions, notably St. Paul's Cathedral, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and many livery companies. The Museum's brief for this commission required that the design of this centrepiece should directly reflect the spirit of the institution; the designer has taken the entrance tower of the Aston Webb extension, (begun 1899, completed 1909) as her starting point. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.158-1984 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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