WHY METAL GURU KNOX IS THE MASTER OF COLLECTIBLE PEWTER L
ET’S face it, pewter is pretty boring stuff (I’ll run away and hide now).
But come on, it really is, until it’s crafted into something beautiful. What constitutes beautiful is is all a matter of opinion.
Lovers of the antique wax lyrical about “touch marks”, the pewterer’s “trade mark” who like silversmiths recorded them on special plates. Thanks to that early consumer protection measure, it’s possible to identify most pewterers by name.
Leap forward a few of hundred years and one name is synonymous with decorative and highly collectable pewter: Archibald Knox. But first, what exactly is pewter? It’s an alloy of tin copper and lead to harden it and make it more durable.
It was probably the Romans who brought pewter to Britain, and for the greater part of the 19th century it was still chiefly concerned with the manufacture of tavern and domestic wares, such as cooking moulds and tobacco containers.
The introduction of inexpensive moulded glassware from the glasshouses of the North East added to pewter’s decline – but all that changed with the rise in popularity of Art Nouveau design at the end of the 19th century. The French and the Germans were first to recognise se the decorative potential of pewter. Its malleability, resemblance to silver whenn polished and relatively ely low production costs were the ideal ingredients.
The German industry had remained active for the larger part of the century, producing pewter mounts and covers for traditional beer steins of both stoneware and glass, so they were already ahead of the competition.
JP Kayser and Son, of Krefeld, near Dusseldorf, proved to be one of the most active advocates of the new organic Art Nouveau style, while elsewhere, the 1890s witnessed the emergence of “art pewter” in many manufacturers’ catalogues.
Early production followed the safe path of compromise, by simply embellishing traditional shapes with organic ornament. Later, the introduction of more avant-garde organic shapes with integral decoration saw the export market boom.
In Britain, German art pewter products were retailed through such upmarket outlets as Arthur Lazenby MainM picture: Pewter expert Archibald Knox and, above, some of his legendary designs. Clockwise from top left: Pewter and Clutha glass vase (photo(p Morgan Strickland Decorative Arts & Antiques); a Tudric tea glass holder (photo Studiotic); Tudric biscuit box, to be sold at The Canterbury Auction Galleries on August 2, estimate £400-600; ice bucket by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co (photo Morgan Strickland Decorative Arts & Antiques). Inset left: A Tudric pewter and enamel clock designed by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co Liberty’s shop Encouraged by the response to and educated at Douglas Grammar in London’s continental art pewter, Lazenby School, where his headmaster, a fashionable decided to launch his own range in noted archaeologist, encouraged the Regent Street. conjunction and partnership with W boy’s interest in the island’s ancient
Not only did H Haseler and Sons of Birmingham. carved Celtic crosses. Knox’s Liberty retail the Registered in 1900 as “Tudric fascination with the complex “Kayserzinn” Pewter”, the catalogue was inspired interlocking motifs remained with products of J P by similar themes found on “Cymric him for the rest of his life. Kayser and Son, but other German Silver” examples. After training initially as an art pewterware manufactured by the “Cymric Silver” had been teacher he became involved with the Orivit factory in Cologne; G.F. introduced a year earlier by Liberty, firm of architect and designer MH Schmidt’s Orion and Walter Scherf’s and had shown itself to be a fresh Baillie Scott, whose offices were in Osiris works, both of Nuremberg and and distinctive style of silverware. Douglas. Although the connection Eduard Hueck of Ludenscheid are However, this was naturally with the company remains unclear, it also known to have featured on expensive and limited the market. was probably how he first came into Liberty’s shelves. Similar objects made from pewter contact with Liberty.
At the time, Liberty was a company were more readily affordable. The designs submitted by him recognised at an international level Liberty commissioned several top show clearly a distinctive and highly as a guiding light and arbiter of contemporary designers to furnish individual fusion of Celtic themes current taste and fashion. Once given the catalogue with exciting and and Art Nouveau form, while the Liberty’s seal of approval, all the individual shapes. At the same time incorporating a fitness for purpose. German pewter products sold well. Lazenby insisted that all objects were Some involved the option of inset
Another firm better recognised stamped with the Liberty and Tudric decoration using either ceramic by their trademark initials of trademarks and nothing more, great “WMF”, the Wurtemburgische efforts being made to maintain the Metallenwarenfabrik company at designers’ anonymity. Geislingen, near Stuttgart, became Although such names as Rex Silver one of the dominant forces in the and Oliver Baker have been linked to industry and probably offered more Tudric designs, Archibald Knox competition to the British silver plate (1864-1933) is one designer now industry than the pewter trade. acknowledged above most others as
Much of the latter’s products can being responsible for some of the be recognised by their electroplated most exciting and highly individual finish, looking for all the world like Liberty designs. burnished silver. Knox was born on the Isle of Man roundels from Howson-Taylor’s Ruskin pottery at Smethwick near Birmingham, or the enamel landscapes and seascapes produced by the metalworker and painter Charles Fleetwood Varley.
Knox’s association with Liberty brought him fortune, if not fame.
His distinctive blend of Celtic design with Modernist utility established Liberty as probably the single most important design house in Britain, if not Europe. As the arbiter and a trendsetter of English Art Nouveau style, Knox was master.
Aside from his pewter and silverwork, his jewellery, carpets, textiles, book illustrations, memorial stonework, illuminated lettering and ceramics made him at least the equal of other designers of the era such as Mackintosh, Voysey, Hoffmann and C.R. Ashbee.