A pair of arts and crafts gold and enamel earrings by Alice Waymouth

For sale are these gold and enamel earrings by Alice Beatrice (Biddy) Waymouth (1884-1963). The enamels depict (African) violets which symbolise innocence, modesty and true, everlasting love.

Alice Waymouth was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. She came to the UK in circa 1902 where she learnt metalworking and enamelling at the Guild of Handicraft, it is said she was taught by George Hart. She returned to New Zealand for the 1906 New Zealand International Exhibition where she displayed a range of metal work and enamels to great acclaim. In 1911 she returned to the UK, marrying an Englishmen C.J. Hughes and settled in Oxfordshire. For more information see “The Arts and Crafts movement in New Zealand” by Ann Calhoun, pages 92-94.

These earrings are unmarked but were acquired from Tadema some twenty years ago, who in turn acquired them from Alice’s descendants, together with a signed Waymouth butterfly brooch. The brooch will appear in Sonya Newell-Smith’s forthcoming book “Tadema Gallery, Jewellery from the 1860’s -1960’s”.

The earrings are in excellent condition and the quality of the workmanship is very high. The influence of the Guild of Handicraft is clearly identifiable. The earrings date to circa 1905 and are housed in a  Tadema box.

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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