In 1888 he set up the Guild and School of Handicraft in London to teach craft skills and make simple products. In 1902 the guild moved to Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, where Court Barn Museum now displays work associated with designers in the area.

This pendant, made during the guild’s time in Chipping Campden, perfectly illustrates Ashbee’s belief that jewellery should be appreciated for its artistic qualities rather than for its monetary value. The elegant silver- and gold-wirework design frames a blister pearl and three chrysoprase stones.

Provenance

Private collection.Exhibited in The Arts & Crafts Movement in Europe & America: Design for the Modern World at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, 2004–2006.