Antique Collecting articles Focus on Sheffield | Page 2

June 'Focus On':Layout 1

12/5/15

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Sheffield Plate
Innovations in metal working weren’t
limited to steel. Old Sheffield Plate, or ‘fused
plate’ as it is sometimes known, was the
first commercially-viable method of plating
metal.
The method was invented by a Sheffield
cutler named Thomas Boulsover in 1743.
While repairing a copper and silver knife
handle, he discovered that the two metals
could be fused and, equally importantly,
when rolled they expanded in unison,
behaving as if they were a single metal.
When worked or hammered out the
proportions of silver to copper remained
the same. While Boulsover started out
making buttons the potential of the
material was quickly realised, and soon it
was being used to fashion boxes, salvers
and jugs, and not long after that
candlesticks and coffee pots, and other
traditional tableware.

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Old Sheffield Plate is now keenly
collected. Precisely as with furniture and
solid silver, Old Sheffield builds up a
wonderful patina over the years, and
copper wearing through on the high points
(known as bleeding) is very attractive
(especially against mahogany).
Sheffield snuff
The power of the five rivers that flow
through Sheffield, which was harnessed to
drive cutlers’ grinding wheels, was also used
in snuff production. In the mid 18th century
Joseph Wilson – who helped pioneer
Sheffield plate – followed in his father
Thomas’ footsteps to develop his main
interest – snuff making, at the family
business at Sharrow Mills. Steam-power
was introduced in 1797 and the capacity of
the mills increased over the years – the
water wheel is still working today. Sharrow
snuffs were originally sent out in barrels,

boxes and bladders. The company became
known for its ‘SP’ for which Sharrow has
been famous ever since.
A marrying of both industries can be seen
in the silver-plated snuff boxes of the mid
18th century. Boxes made of Sheffield plate,
showed the popularisation of the Rococo
style in the mid-18th century. Die stamping,
developed particularly for the Sheffield plate
industry, meant that complicated patterns
could be accurately and repetitively
reproduced, quickly and cheaply, after the
initial costs of the dies were recovered.
Antiques Quarter
As well as the Sheffield Auction Gallery just
off Chesterfield Road, up to 150
independent businesses are situated in the
new quarter. The Sheffield Antiques Quarter
group regularly holds fairs at the Abbeydale
Picture House, one of only a handful of the
city’s 52 pre-war cinemas still surviving.

Silver expert and Omar Ramsden aficionado Ralph Holt reflects on one of Sheffield’s most famous sons

A silver caddy spoon by Omar Ramsden, the
finial set with three deep cabochon chrysoprase,
London 1936

Surprisingly, very little has been written
about Omar Ramsden (1873-1939) or for
that matter Sheffield-born Alwyn Carr
(1872-1940) who was his partner from
1898 until 1918. This is even more odd
considering several of the highest auction
prices achieved for 20th-century English
silver belong to this artist goldsmith from
Sheffield. Born in Walkley, a working-class
suburb of Sheffield, his father was in the
cutlery trade and an engraver, while his
mother’s family dealt in ivory for cutlery
handles. After an apprenticeship with a
local silversmith learning basic skills,
Ramsden won scholarships to the Sheffield
School of Design where he met Carr. In
1897 Ramsden won a completion to
design and make a civic mace for Sheffield,
newly elevated to city status. However, it
was in London that they sought and

attained commercial success reflecting the
prevalent art nouveau style in design.
Following the dissolution of their
partnership, Carr’s output dwindled
whereas Ramsden’s accelerated, with silvermounted mazer bowls becoming his
trademark. These most sought-after works,
often enameled and on occasion set with
semi-precious stones (moonstone or
chrysoprase) were frequently personalised
using cast heraldic devices and engraved
with medieval-style inscriptions, often in
Latin. The ‘The Good Ship Saint Andrew’ a
nef made for James A. Jameson, C.B.E. in
1927 sold for an eye-watering $533,000 in
May of 2014 at Christie’s in New York. To
give this some perspective only two other
nefs have so far appeared on the open
market, those being the enameled tour de
force ‘The Dream Ship’ sold by Christie’s
New York for $154,000 in October 1992
and the ‘Percy Cox’ nef of 1922 as part of
the Campbell Collection, for $161,000 in
April 2005 Christie’s again the auctioneers.
Of all English 20th-century goldsmiths,
few are more polarising than Omar
Ramsden. This is partly explained by the
negativity of what has been written, but
also to do with the fluctuating quality of his
workshop’s output. Much of the mundane
domestic plate regularly fails to stimulate
today’s discerning collectors, often lacking

merit in design and execution.
This has created a two-tier market; the
finer pieces highly sought after while
lesser, more quotidian pieces merely
treading water. One has to take great care
however as there are on occasion
stunning exceptions. Acquiring a collection
of Ramsden silver requires not only
patience but also a discerning eye.
Ramsden was a meticulous accountant
as his workbooks, now in safe custody at

A silver mounted Covered muzer by Omar
Ramsden, the cover when inverted forms an
additional bowl

the Goldsmith’s Hall library, testify. Although
increasingly rare, pieces acquired with their
original paperwork are amongst the most
highly prized.
To see Ralph’s selection of silver and related
works of art, including pieces by Omar
Ramsden, visit www.ralph-holt.com.

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