A CASED SET OF GEORGE VI STERLING SILVER ROYAL COMMEMORATIVE DISHES, LONDON 1936 BY ROBERT EDGAR STONE (1903-1990)

The three dishes with twin handles formed as crowns, each set with a medal of a George V and Queen Mary, a view on Windsor castle, one with Edward VIII, the other with George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Each fully marked and with facsimile signatures. All housed in a case, branded for Asprey London.

Case length – 39.3 cm / 11.5 inches

Silver weight – 225 grams / 7.23 ozt

“Robert Edgar Stone, born 1903 died 1990. Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He normally stamped his pieces with a facsimile signature. After serving an apprenticeship he held all the Goldsmiths Company scholarships whilst at the Central School of Arts & Crafts, London. He founded his own workshop in 1929. He practised at 22 Garrick Street London WC2 where he trained several silversmiths such as Ian Calvert and his daughter Jean who worked with him as a jeweller. George Hughes (Goldsmiths Assistant Clerk 1919-39 Clerk 1939-at least 1953) remarked of him "He has been one of the most constant supporters of the silver revival.

He produced a large collection of items commemorating George V's Silver Jubilee in 1935 including caddy spoons, bookmarks, letter openers and 2 handled bowls with a crown coin sunk in the centre. These all featured cast crowns as handles or terminals. He then adapted these designs for the Coronations of Edward VIII in 1936 and George VI in 1937. Asprey and Wilson & Gill retailed many of these, some with an enamel background in the crown. In 1938 he produced a fruit stand for Hamilton & Inches of Edinburgh inspired by Jensen and Johan Rohde. 1946 saw a Peter Pan engraved set for Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. Ltd. During the 1960's his work was often seen at the Crafts Centre in Hay Hill, London and some of his spoons of this period were made in the Russian style. Christopher Lawrence was among those who worked for him. He closed his London workshop and retired to Dumbartonshire in 1964 where he continued to produce small pieces which he assayed in Edinburgh.” [Styles Silver]