The Trustee Board has this year been working on a project to commission seven silver goblets to dedicate to the early, essential, and generous support of the Trust’s seven Patrons.

At an informal reception at Drapers’ Hall on Thursday 31st October, the Patrons - together with members of the Trustee Board, representatives of the Goldsmiths' Centre, representatives of Cookson Precious Metals, and the silver spinner Stuart Ray - were able to get a first look at the goblets in their penultimate state.

The Chairman, Mr Gary Dixon, together with the Master Entrepreneur, Mr Mark Huxley, were delighted to welcome five of the seven silversmiths (bearing six of the seven goblets). The Chairman welcomed (with their goblets), Alice Fry, Alewijn Slingerland, Katie Watson, and Oscar Saurin, along with Caius Bearder, whose goblet is undergoing its final stage of manufacture.

The assembled guests were also able to see the goblets from Scott Smith and Dan Bollard.

All the makers did brilliantly with the brief, and the Chairman praised them for their professionalism and highly communicative work throughout.

Although the Trust has paid the makers well for their goblets, part of the commission package is to give the makers a platform from which to showcase their style and skill. Whilst the Trustee Board now has a "set" of goblets, the Trust was very careful to make as few restrictions as possible, and the Chairman was delighted by the creativity and capability that the makers displayed in both the design and execution.

The Trust would be nowhere near as successful without early and vital support, and the Trust owes a continuing debt of thanks to its Patrons. The Chairman reflected that the perpetual nature of the Patrons’ gifts can now be perpetually recognised through the Trust’s investment in these goblets:

The Donovan Goblet by Alice Fry

The Drapers Goblet by Alewijn Slingerland 

The Thorpe Goblet by Katie Watson

The Bologna Goblet by Dan Bollard

The Wasu Goblet by Caius Bearder

The Howard Goblet by Oscar Saurin

The Lilani Goblet by Scott Smith

 

The Trust received 29 expressions of interest, of which 16 were longlisted. Eleven designs were commissioned, and, of the 10 designs that were received, 7 silversmiths were commissioned to produce the Trust’s seven Patrons’ Goblets. 

The project attracted a range of silversmiths from across the UK, and the cohort of seven represents skilled apprentices as well as early-stage craftsmen with some City commissions already under their belt. They were each commissioned to produce a piece as an expression foremost of their own oeuvre, but suitable for dedication to one of the Trust’s Patrons. It is hoped that the silversmiths will go on to have long and illustrious careers, and that they will found workshops and marques of their own. The Trust intends to give as much prominence as possible to these silversmiths over the course of the next 12 months as part of its commitment to early-stage business and entrepreneurship.

The Chairman was delighted to report that the Drapers' Company has agreed to store the finished goblets at the Hall, and for them to be displayed as part of the rotating selection of plate. At least two of the goblets are to be exhibited at Goldsmiths' Hall in the coming year too.

NOTES: Patronage of the Trust is bestowed in recognition of exceptional financial generosity to the Trust’s Perpetual Fund. If you are considering making a major gift, please contact the Chief Executive, Duncan Simms clerk@entreprenuerscompany.org

This project would not have been possible without the support of the Goldsmiths’ Centre, Cookson Precious Metals, and Stuart Ray Ltd. The display of the fully finished set of seven will be at Ironmongers’ Hall on Monday 25th November.

Images: The Company of Entrepreneurs Trust © Jampond Photography