Sir Charles Jackson’s unique collection of silver 19 February 2007 In 2000, Amgueddfa Cymru learned that hundreds of pieces of rare silver, which had been on loan to the Museum since it first opened its doors, were to be sold. The items, some of which date back to the 16th century, are from the collection of Sir Charles Jackson (1849-1923), a Welsh lawyer and businessman. Luckily, after much negotiation and fundraising, they were finally secured for the Museum with considerable help from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund and the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. So why is this collection so important? Sir Charles Jackson (1849-1923) Sir Charles Jackson Sir Charles Jackson was born in Monmouth. He became part of a group of collectors and antiquarians that included Robert Drane, T. H. Thomas and Wilfred de Winton. Together they influenced the development of the Cardiff Museum. They also played a role in making sure the National Museum of Wales would be located in Cardiff. Remarkable treasures Some of the objects collected by Jackson are of outstanding aesthetic quality. Rare items include an early 14th century acorn-top spoon, which is one of the very first hallmarked pieces of English silver, and a complete set of 'apostle' spoons (twelve apostles and the 'Master') from 1638. The most important item is probably a two-handled cup in the 'auricular' style (a 17th century ornamental style based on parts of the human anatomy, particularly the human ear, after which the style is named) associated with the Dutch silversmith Christian van Vianen, who worked for the court of Charles I. Hallmarked 1668, this cup is one of a handful of London-made pieces in this distinctive style. The maker's mark remains unread, but could be either George Bowers or Jean-Gerard Cooques, both goldsmiths to the court of Charles II. Inspirational rarities Two-handled cup and cover, London 1668 Unusual, inspirational pieces in the collection include one of the earliest known silver wine tasters, a 17th century Catholic chalice made in Cork that can be taken apart for concealment, and an inkstand in the form of a library globe. The collection's range of more common objects, such as salt cellars and cream jugs, shows the evolution of shapes over time, and tells us a lot about social customs, particularly relating to dining. The astonishing sequence of spoons contains almost every type made over a period of 400 years. Unique academic value Although the collection contains many rare and beautiful objects, the principal reason for keeping it intact is its unique academic value. Jackson's two principal publications, English Goldsmiths and their Marks (1905) and The Illustrated History of English Plate (1911), are the foundation of modern silver scholarship. In them Jackson relied heavily on his own collection to illustrate marks and the development of styles over time. He corresponded with all the major collectors of his day, and his collection sums up knowledge of historic silver in Britain in the early 1900s. It is therefore a unique reference source and remains the subject of regular enquiries from silver specialists all over the world. The Jackson collection also complements and enriches the Museum's own outstanding collection of historic silver, much of which is associated with the historic governing families of Wales. The acquisition, after eighty years of display, of half the Jackson collection, and the likelihood that the rest will one day follow, helped the Museum develop its role as the home of one of Britain's principal study collections of historic silver. Background Reading Andrew Renton, 'Sir Charles Jackson (1849-1923)' in Silver Studies - the Journal of the Silver Society, vol 19 (2005), 144-6
A grand cup made from solid Welsh gold 19 February 2007 Welsh Gold The solid gold cup made from a design on a drawing in the British Museum of a cup given by King Henry VIII to Queen Jane Seymour in 1536. Cup and cover, 22 carat gold, R & S Garrard & Co, London 1867-68. Height: 39.8 cm (15 ''/16 in). Welsh gold is very rare. The wedding rings of today's British Royal family are made from it. The largest object made of Welsh gold is a copy of a cup Henry VIII gave to one of his wives. The richest family in Wales The cup was made in 1867 for the Williams-Wynn family of Ruabon in Denbighshire, using gold from their own mine. At the time, they were the richest family in Wales. They were well known for their wealth, which they spent on grand houses, expensive paintings and silver, much of which is now at the Museum. The Welsh Gold Rush While many people know of the California gold rush of 1848, few know that, a few years later, there was a Welsh gold rush. In 1862 gold was discovered in Merioneth and, soon after, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1820-1885) opened the Castell Carn Dochan mine on his land. The mine produced most of its gold between 1865 and 1873. Payment in Gold Sir Watkin was paid a large royalty for the gold mined, and he was paid with his own gold ingots. However, he was rich enough not to need this income, and could treat this gold as a novelty. A Cup of Solid Gold Some of this gold was used to make a magnificent cup. The cup is nearly 40cm high and made of 22-carat gold. It is inscribed "MADE OF GOLD THE ROYALTY FROM CASTELL CARNDOCHAN MINE 1867" and hallmarked by R & S Garrard and Co., Haymarket, London. It is ornate, in the style popular in the early Renaissance period. It stands on a circular foot, and the stem is flanked by flower heads, dolphins and bells. The cup is inscribed with several family mottoes: eryr eryrod eryri ('the eagle of the eagles of Snowdonia'), y cadarn ar cyfrwys ('the strong and the sly'), bwch yn uchaf ('the ram is on top') and cwrw da yw allwedd calon ('good beer is the key to the heart'). The tall lid has the Williams-Wynn arms, including a young ram on top, supported by a pair of cherubs. A Royal Design for Henry VIII The original design for the cup given to Queen Jayne Seymour in 1536-37 in the British Museum. Hans Holbein the Younger, pen and ink on paper. Copyright British Museum, London The makers of the cup based the design on a drawing in the British Museum of a cup King Henry VIII gave Queen Jane Seymour in 1536. This cup was set with diamonds and pearls. Jane Seymour's cup was melted down on the orders of King Charles I in 1629, when he was desperate for cash.
The Edwinsford Sofa - spectacular embroidery spends a month in deep freeze 19 February 2007 In 1998 Amgueddfa Cymru purchased furniture from the Edwinsford estate, near Talley, Llandeilo. The largest and most spectacular piece is a unique embroidered sofa from 1845. Conserving this proved to be a fascinating and challenging project, included dismantling, rebuilding and even freezing the object for a month. The sofa contains several individually embroidered squares of wool and silk decorated with metal threads and beads, illustrating original Berlin wool-work designs. The squares form four separate panels along with carved wooden mouldings around the lower edge and carved scroll panels over the arm fronts. Conserving the sofa The reverse side of the back panel before removal of the labels and cleaning. At first glace, it was clear that a lot of repair would be needed if the sofa was to be displayed, as it was dirty, worn and shabby. Many seams had ripped and a moth infestation had destroyed much of the delicate embroidery. In order for each panel of canvas-work to be conserved properly, it had to be removed from the framework. The mouldings were removed easily. However, instead of the usual upholstered technique, the sofa was made up of four individually upholstered sections, covered in the canvas work panels, and then screwed and bolted together. Approximately 300 tacks had to be carefully removed without ripping the canvas work — although they had already made rusty holes in the fabric. A sofa decorated by guests One canvas square was dated on the reverse 'Charlotte Chichester March 22nd 1845' The dismantling process uncovered a fascinating story. As the tacks were removed, paper labels started to drop out from behind the canvas work, each label bearing a someone's name. The names showed who had embroidered each square. Apparently, visitors to Edwinsford had embroidered the squares, and the sofa was designed to display this work. After careful documentation of the labels, each canvas-work square was cleaned with washing solutions and solvents according to the dyes present. Each panel was then supported on undyed linen to strengthen the fabric and make the finished sofa more stable. Fine nylon net was applied around the frayed edges. A month in deep freeze In case there might be still live moth eggs in the sofa, each section was double-wrapped and sealed in polythene, and then frozen for a month. Putting the sofa back together Much of the upholstered furniture on display in the withdrawing room of St Fagans Castle comes originally from Edwinsford Estate, Camarthenshire. A method of re-attaching the cleaned canvas panels had to be found. It was important not to staple directly through the canvas-work, and to limit the number of staples put into the already damaged wooden carcass. It was equally important to be able to remove the panels without damage, should this be necessary in the future. To achieve this, cotton tape was stapled to the wooden frames along the original tack hole lines. Staples were positioned approximately every 15cm to provide a rigid base to which the panels could be sewn using a curved needle. The inner edges of the arms and back had to be stitched first and then screwed and bolted back in position. The outer edges could then be stitched in place. After treatment, the remaining sections of the sofa were replaced, using the original screws and nails wherever possible. Treatment of the paper labels will allow future study and display. The sofa is on display in St Fagans Castle.
