Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co. Sterling Silver Vesta with Enameling by William Hair Haseler, 1921

Description

Birmingham, 1921. This rectangular cushion-shaped sterling silver vesta with pinstriping is set with a central roundel plaque of internal interlocking leaves on a blue-green enamel ground—a true representation of Knox and Haseler’s masterful partnership.

Dimensions: 5cm long, 4cm wide, 0.88 ozt. Clear hallmarks.

Condition: Excellent.

About Archibald Knox. Archibald Knox (1864-1933) was a talented and prolific designer known for his designs that spanned multiple movements: Modernism, Art Nouveau, the Arts & Crafts movement, and the Celtic revival. He designed for Liberty & Co. for just eight years of his life, and throughout his career as an art teacher, he also painted watercolors, principally landscapes of his beloved Isle of Man. His legacy is marked by his pivotal role in reintroducing Celtic design in the late 1800s, infusing Norse and Celtic influences into everyday objects. His influence as a modernist designer is undeniable, standing shoulder to shoulder with other luminaries such as Christopher Dresser, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Charles Ashbee, who collectively shaped Modernism as we know it today. Knox’s designs are a testament to the harmonious fusion of beauty and modernity.

About William Hair Haseler. William Hair Haseler was a silversmith associated with Liberty & Co. The initial firm, W. H. Haseler & Co., was founded in 1870, producing gold, silver, and jewelry. Then, in 1898, Haseler formed a partnership with Liberty & Co., with Haseler producing most of Liberty’s silverware from their Birmingham workshop. They launched the silver line of Liberty ‘Cymric’ and the pewter counterpart ‘Tudric,’ producing works designed by Archibald Knox. The partnership between the firms continued until 1926, producing some of the finest early 20th-century silver Britain has to offer. With a short production period from 1870 to 1926, pieces made by Haseler are sought after by collectors of all things Liberty and Knox.