Arts & Crafts Silver & Enamel Demitasse Spoons Bernard Instone - Birmingham 1929

This is a fabulous, usable set of stylish sterling silver artist demitasse / coffee spoons that are manufactured in solid sterling silver, with each carrying the identical mark for Birmingham 1929. The silversmiths mark is that of the famous Birmingham based arts & crafts silversmith and jeweller, Bernard Instone. Each of the spoons has the standard egg shaped bowl which leads up to a hammered or planished stem - at the terminal there is an applied silver wire work heart motif (frequently used by Instone), and a small round enamel 'button'. Each of the enamel roundels are of a different colour or pattern, and range from a faux turquoise stone through to red/green/gold multicolored examples. The spoons are housed in an original period case, which is branded for the silversmith and retailer, Connell of Cheapside, London. Connell were well known in their own right due to their collaborations with other famous designers of metalworkers of the era; notably A.E.Jones, and Kate Harris for William Hutton. It's unknown whether the spoons and case started life together, but this is exactly how I acquired the set. As you'd expect from a maker of this caliber, the workmanship is excellent. Bernard Instone (1891 - 1987) was a prolific designer from Birmingham who won a scholarship to the Birmingham Central School of Art in 1903 aged only 12 years old - he went on to win two further scholarships where he learned silversmithing and jewellery making, by all accounts he was incredibly talented. After completing art school he worked in the Westerham studio of John Paul Cooper where he was later chosen to go to Berlin and work with the German court goldsmith, Emil Lettre and receive further training - whilst working in Berlin he completed a commission for the King of Bavaria. Instone completed service during the great war and after his he later in 1920 he founded the Langstone silver works in Digbeth. In a long career Instone was known for his artistic jewellery, silverware, enamel work and particularly his semi precious stone jewellery in the arts & crafts style, and later more geometric art deco designs. The spoons measure 9.5cm in length and are 2cm wide across the bowl - the unpacked weight of silver is approximately 51g.