Central salver 1936; Candlesticks 1929; Left-hand salver 1925; 5 Mazer salts 1936; Hexagonal dish 1932; 4 Salts in original case 1932; Caddy spoon with red enamel 1927; Decorative spoon by Ramsden and Carr 1904
Most of these pieces have come from private collections
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Omar Ramsden's place in the history of English silver has been well documented. Not only was an important exhibition staged by The City Museum and Art Gallery of Birmingham in 1973 to celebrate the centenary of his birth but more recently a ground breaking book by Helen Ashton, entitled In Search of Ramsden and Carr, was published in 2018. After graduating with Alwyn Carr from The Sheffield School of Art in 1897, they appear to have travelled around Europe before setting up adjoining premises near Albert Bridge in London. This was the start of a very successful partnership that lasted until 1919 although Carr had signed up to The Artists Rifles to fight in the First World War from 1914-1918. Although Ramsden went on to produce some stellar pieces it should be remembered that Carr also continued to make fine silverware though not in anythying like the capacity of his ex-business partner. Ramsden would appear to have been an adept self publicist whilst Carr was more retiring. Where Ramsden outshone not only Carr but almost all the other silversmiths of the inter-war period was in his business acumen. After the First World War Art Nouveau was virtually over making way for the more angular Art Deco. It is interesting that Ramsden paid little attention to this new genre and set about copying medieval pieces, many inspired from the collections of Oxford Colleges. Mazer bowls, for instance, were one of the most successful lines that he ever produced. The Hellespont mazer would appear to be the largest at about 17 " in diameter whilst the charming set of salts depicted above measure 3.3", 8.5 cm across.
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