A late Victorian hand wrought silver two-handled shallow bowl, by Walter Walker & Brownfield Tolhurst, London 1895, engraved with facsimilie signature of "Gilbert Marks" and date "95",
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A late Victorian hand wrought silver two-handled shallow bowl
By Gilbert Marks for Walker & Tolhurst, London 1895, engraved with facsimile signature "Gilbert Marks" and date "95"
The circular shallow bowl finely chased in high relief with convolvulus and raised on a spread and stepped foot, applied with plain short flying-scroll handles, height 16cm, diameter 22.7cm, weight 37.58oz.
Estimate:
£8,000 - 12,000
€9,400 - 14,000
US$ 13,000 - 19,000

Footnotes

  • Born April 1 1861, Gilbert Leigh Marks was born into a family with artistic and commercial traditions. The artists being his two uncles, Henry Stacey Marks R. A. and Frederick Walker, along with his great grandfather, William Walker. The commercial influence came from his grandfather, jeweller W. H. Walker.

    Upon leaving school, Marks worked for a brief period (1878 - 1885) in a manufacturing silversmiths. The company is not recorded in the 1881 census but, given his family connections, it is tempting to think that it may have been the firm of Johnson, Walker & Tolhurst. However, another firm could be considered; Holland, Aldwinckle and Slater, suppliers of silver to Jonhson, Walker & Tolhurst.

    Between 1885 - 1895, Marks was employed by Masurel & Fils and, when he marries Florence Elizabeth Ford in 1888, his profession is recorded as 'wool broker's manager.' With no record of Marks' apprenticeship in London, it would appear that he developed his talent as a silversmith as a hobby, possibly at evening school. In 1896, the Art Journal refers to Marks as 'something in the city' and points out that he already has two assistants.

    The Magazine Art reviews Marks' work in January 1897 at an exhibition of his work at 80 Aldersgate Street: "Going direct to nature, he skillfully transfers the blossoms of wild flowers to his graceful cups and other cups. The Art Journal reviews another exhibition of his work in the August of the same year at the the showrooms of Johnson, Walker & Tolhurst, a bowl very similar to the present lot is illustrated. His distinctive style of work received glowing reviews, his work "is exceedingly pleasant to the cultivated eye."

    In the initial period of collaboration with Johnson, Walker and Tolhurst, the objects bore their sponsor's mark and had Marks' fascimile signature. Gilbert Marks registered his own maker's mark of 'GM' at Goldsmiths' Hall in 1896 and he continues the practice of the fascimile. It is interesting that the association with J. W. And T. clearly continues as they are still holding exhibitions of the work. The earliest recorded piece bearing Marks' signature dates from 1895/6 and the latest from 1902.

    Gilbert Marks' death in 1905 was recorded with an obituary in The Burlington Magazine (Vol 7, No 27): "an artist of delicate grace and charm, whose name will probably take high rank in the estimation of the collector and connoisseur."

    Literature:
    F. Miller, 'Some Gold, Silver, and Coppersmiths,' Art Journal, November 1896, p.347ff.
    'Gilbert Marks: An Artist in Silver,' The Magazine of Art, January 1897, p.158ff.
    'The Arts and Indutries of Today,' Art Journal, August 1897, p251ff.
    Obituary, The Burlington Magazine, Vol 7, no 27, June 1905, p.243ff.

    Culme, 'The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths' (London 1987), page 312-313.

Category: Decorative Arts / Silver

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