An exceptional near pair of A E Jones arts and crafts silver Ruskin set candlesticks

An exceptional near pair of A E Jones arts and crafts silver Ruskin set candlesticks.

Price: £6,250 the pair (will sell singularly)

An outstanding,  (near) pair, of silver and fumed oak candlesticks both fully hallmarked for A E Jones Ltd, Birmingham, 1903 and 1904. Both top and bottom silver sections are attached with silver rivets to fumed oak pillars. The bases of the candlesticks have a simple repeating repousse pattern and are each set with eight blue-green Ruskin Pottery roundels.  The candlesticks are a good size at approximately 22.5cm tall.

The candlesticks were made very early in the firm of A E Jones history when the former  Birmingham Guild of Handicraft member, Jones, was himself producing hand  made silver items along with a handful of skilled craftsmen.  The design for these candlesticks (No. 55 in the A. Edward Jones  pattern book) is illustrated in the book “A Edward Jones Metalcraftsman” (see images).

A E. Jones is known to have used Ruskin Pottery roundels at this time. E. R.  Taylor was a frequent visitor to Jones’s workshop, bringing his son Howson  Taylor’s Ruskin Pottery to be mounted and smaller pottery roundels to be  incorporated as features in Jones’ own designs.

This pair is only the second known to exist (see A1056 in the Collection archive). The odd feature of this pair is that the candlesticks are slightly different.  The 1904 assayed stick being of larger base and heavier.  The 1903 stick reaches the same height but only through a longer candle holder.  I do not believe this is a later matched pair, but a pair that were probably put together in error, leaving another pair of odd candlesticks on the factory or retailer’s shelf.  Both of these candlesticks are marked for Sorley of Glasgow to the base in the same place, suggesting they were retailed as new at the same time together – Sorley were a leading Edwardian jeweller and luxury goods retailer.

As ever I am grateful to Dave at Hammer and Hand Antiques, for his help in documenting this item.

Maker: A E Jones

Designer:  A E Jones

Date: 1903/4

Marks: AEJ, Birmingham, “c” and “d”

Material: Sterling silver, oak, Ruskin Pottery

Condition: Excellent

Size: 22.5 cm tall

Weight: 1904 stick: 420 g / 14.8 oz. 1903 stick 353 g / 12.5oz (not silver weight)

Price

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number