Form and Function
Charles Robert Ashbee designed a spoon with silver color and a hammered bowl tapering to a faceted stem. The spoon has an openwork finial with five applied scrolls. Again, the top set of the spoon has cabochon chrysoprase. The cabochons have sea-green chrysoprase, and the polygonal handle is somehow looped, making the spoon one of the most iconic Guilds of Handicraft silver designs. Charles designed his spoon with a set of silver and chrysoprase.
Charles Ashbee’s bowl and spoon designs were made in 1988 after he formed the Guild of Handicraft (Thomas 151). The idea of forming the Guild was influenced by the fact that art and design training could be carried with actual production. In 1907, Guild was mainly used to demonstrate the financial viability of manufacturing well-designed and hand-crafted wares in a city (Peart 24). Therefore, this design was mainly used as an exemplar to local commercial manufacturers. In the design, chrysoprase is used to make the spoon due to its vivid green color. Chrysoprase was a birthstone and traditionally symbolized happiness and prudence. Therefore, the design of using chrysoprase was mainly used as an act to improve emotional health. Notably, with its beauty, chrysoprase was said to promote empathy, self-love, and forgiveness. The cabochon was cut to give a facet less and domed form. Charles Robert used the cabochon cut in the design to make the gemstone appear fuller and denser. At the turn of the century, the Guild was at the peak of its success and evolved, becoming a distinctive and mature art style. In particular, the Guild led to the growth of the handicraft market as people tried to compete with the era of industrialized modernity.
Charles Robert designed a hand-raised two-handled bowl and a set of applied wires with chrysoprase. The bowl measured 28.3cm in width and a height of 7.7cm. Again, the bowl and cover had all essential characteristics that show mature metalwork. In particular, the design had a harmonious combination of a few simple elements, such as enamel on the lid and a hammered surface. Notably, the lid had a broad expanse of enamel while the surfaces were lightly hammered on the bowl’s underside. In other designs, the bowl had looped legs on ball feet, which proved the object’s sophistication reflected a contemporary idiom.
Charles Robert sought to promote a natural approach toward craftsmanship with his excellent design. Notably, Charles Robert aimed to show the major role that individual craftsmen could play in creating items from scratch to completion. Despite the beautiful bowl’s look, the item’s simplicity was signified by the hammer’s marks on the surface. In particular, the marks are a deliberate finish by the craftsman to indicate that the bowls were handmade. Furthermore, the craftsman conducted the execution in a quality fashion, putting the marks sharply and transforming a simple item into a flawless and desirable object.
The Socio-Historical Context and Its Impact on the Object
Chicago was widely recognized in the 19th and 20th centuries for its major steps in hand-crafted and machine-made objects. Notably, these aspects played a significant role in defining America’s arts and crafts movement. Despite being a humble city, Chicago embraced the ideological roots in developing modern technological possibilities. Prominent artists and reformers were inspired by the British arts and crafts model. Notably, Charles Roberts’s arts are all inspired by the British model, which made the artist create a unique and beautiful aesthetic. During Charles Robert’s time, people sympathized with the British movement. The revolution of arts and crafts came at a time when most people in England advocated for social reform, emphasizing the need for education. Among those who were being educated involved the poor and immigrants.
The period of 1900s was experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization. The 20th century experienced industrialization and urbanization, which greatly modified people’s social, cultural, and literal life (Parihar 1487). The impact of industrialization negatively impacted workers as the development of machines replaced humans, thus affecting individuality and the capacity of human beings to think.
The changes in society’s way of life influenced Charles Roberts to engage in self-taught craftsmanship. While humans found it challenging to compete with machines replacing the human workforce, a shift in creating hand-crafted objects seemed more promising in keeping most people busy designing exceptional objects. Charles Robert and other guildsmen sought to promote a natural and ethical approach in the arts and craft movement. Notably, by integrating the aesthetic principles guiding arts and crafts, Charles Roberts and other artisans re-integrated creativity to transform people’s daily life through art. In addition, the art and crafts movement was based on social orientation in promoting equality and cooperation among the people in society.
The industrial revolution greatly affected craftsmanship, style, and arts. Seeing the challenge posed by industrialization, craftsmen like William Morris founded ‘Morris and Company,’ a firm focused on interior decorators and manufacturing (Griffin 5). William Morris was the most influential member of the arts and crafts movement (Fondevila 58). Morris’s artistic idea was meant to respond to the negative social and aesthetic consequences caused by the industrial revolution. Notably, the company’s primary aim was to recapture the quality and spirit of medieval craftsmanship. The development of the arts and craft movement led to a new generation of designers. However, the major controversy was on the practicality of the movement based on the changes that industrialization was causing. Charles Robert formed the ‘Survey of London’ driven by his strong socialist commitment to advancing equality (Guillery 1). Charles aimed to enhance historical consciousness to counter private property interests by improving architectural creativity through social history. The stylistic change during the 19th century was brought about by a change in cultural values among Americans (Molloy 16). Notably, the designs of the objects showed the emergence of new material culture in the arts and craft movements.
Generally, people in the early 19th and late 20th centuries were against industrialization, and the arts and crafts movement was formed to create handmade silver works. In particular, supporters of the crafts movement believed in the value and integrity of their hand-wrought products compared to those made using machines. It is essential to understand that upheavals defined the design of the 20th century. Notably, the rising need for a humanist approach influenced many to embrace handmade objects and natural materials. It became visible that the design was a beautiful piece that would decorate homes and still remind people of the importance of archives to remind them of the time and changes.
Therefore, the socio and historical contexts played a significant role in influencing artists and inspiring their designs. The war and conflict periods also helped build visual language across art design and disciplines. In particular, the need to rise above the machines greatly influenced artisans to return to traditional craftsmanship. Ashbee was focused on restoring lost tradition that was based on pre-industrial production. Again, Ashbee thought the traditional approach humanized workshops and promoted collaboration among silversmiths, designers, and craftsmen. Significant groups were also focused on medieval Guild principles. Notably, the trade Guilds were social groups created by people to exercise similar crafts, protect, and promote their artistic interests. As a result, these social groups significantly influenced the arts and crafts movement. Artisans revolted against industrialization by producing high-quality art that machines found difficult to replicate, and this laid more emphasis on the subject of beauty.
Innovation and Technological Advancement Used to Design the Objects
The innovation that facilitated the design of objects was known as Art Nouveau. Notably, this international style emphasized using natural qualities in objects. In art design, this innovation gave artists the insight to apply superfluous decoration and utilize traditional manufacturing techniques. For instance, Charles Ashbee used this Art Nouveau in creating glass decanter designs with silver mounts (Molloy 9S). The Art Nouveau design used simple and energetic forms that recall naturalistic motifs and medieval silverwork. When using this design, Ashbee incorporated wire work, enamel, and semi-precious stones in his objects.
The aesthetic technology also played a crucial role in advancing the design of the objects. The British aesthetic style was another innovation that inspired artisans to focus on decorative arts, signified by changes in fine art, metalwork, stained glass, literature, textiles, and ceramics. In addition, the aesthetic style emphasized the use of solid and simple colors such as green, bright blue, and yellow. The Guild design featured a hammer texture finish. Notably, the small and round plashing hammer symbolized personal touch and human endeavor. Another innovation involved punched, cast beading, and saw-piercing. The innovation for applied semi-precious cabochons, extruded supporting wire, colored enamels, finials, and handles also marked represented the Guild design. Sometimes, Ashbee applied carved ivory of Turkish cigarettes, a fork, and knife handles.
Elements and Principles of Design
The two elements utilized by Charles Ashbee in his design include texture and colors. Notably, both bowl and spoon have a vintage brilliant silver color. In terms of texture, the bowl and spoon have admirably polished surfaces. The color and texture in the design created a symbolist decor. Generally, the texture creates a dynamic, visually appealing experience and adds depth to the design. Also, Charles Ashbee utilized design principles in his objects, such as balance and contrast. For instance, contrast is displayed since the bowl has a silver color, while its lid is covered with a finial set comprising of lapis lazuli. The objects also have a balanced, symmetrical form that emphasizes the utility and beauty of the design.
Similarity and Differences
Charles Ashbee’s spoon shows similar characteristics to Henry van de Velde. One major similarity is the use of vintage brilliant silver color. The balance and texture are also the same creating a symbolist decor. Notably, these characteristics were influenced by the two artists’ use of the British Art Nouveau style. Like Charles Ashbee, Henry’s metalwork displayed great freedom in the Art Nouveau style. Again, the two designers were influenced by the works of William Morris and John Ruskin. However, a distinctive feature between the two works of art is that Charles Ashbee’s spoon had a shaped terminal at the handle with chrysoprase, as illustrated in figure 1. On the contrary, Henry’s spoon only used silver as the only material in designing the object, as shown in figure 3. Also, the hammer’s mark is visible in Henry’s work, unlike in Charles Ashbee’s spoon.
Figure I
A Charles Robert Spoon
Note. Guild of Handicraft Ltd Edwardian Silver Spoon of length 28cm was designed by Charles Ashbee in 1903. Source (Halls 1845 n.p.).
Figure 2
Covered Bowl and Spoon
Note: Charles Robert Ashbee’s Bowl and Spoon 1903. Source (LACMA, n.p.).
Figure 3
1902 Silver Spoon
Note: Silver Spoons that Henry van de Velde designed in 1902 using the Art Nouveau style. Source (Purssell n.p.).
Works Cited
Fondevila, Mariàngels. William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement in Great Britain. Datatèxtil, vol.38, 2018, pp. 58-68.
Griffin, Julia. Kelmscott Manor. Mr Morris’s Country Place’(1871–1896). The Routledge Companion to William Morris. Routledge, 2020, pp. 1-23.
Guillery, Peter. The Survey of London’s Approaches to the History of East London. European Association of Urban Historians, 2018, 1-14.
Halls 1845. A Charles Robert Ashbee Silver Spoon. Halls Holdings Ltd, 2018. https://fineart.hallsgb.com/auction/lot/7-a-charles-robert-ashbee-silver-spoon/?lot=124477&sd=1
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Covered Bowl and Spoon. Museum Associates, 2022. https://collections.lacma.org/node/199373
Molloy, Aisling. Ornament and Revivalism-1880s Art Ceramics and the Creation of A Ceramic Collection At the National Museum of Ireland. Irish Studies Review, vol. 28, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1-25.
Parihar, Saroj, and Hemant Kumar Shukla. A Brief Study of the Twentieth Century American Drama: The Impact of Rapid Industrialization and Urbanization. Mukt Shabd Journal, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 1487-1497.
Peart, Tony. Indian Summer: The Reinvention of the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft in the Twentieth Century. The Decorative Arts Society 1850 to the Present: Journal 44-2020, vol. 44, 2020, pp. 19-45.
Purssell, Sarah. Explore the Collections Beta. Victoria and Albert Museum, 2022. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O94983/spoon-velde-henry-van/
Thomas, Zoë. Between Art and commerce: Women, Business Ownership, and the Arts and Crafts Movement. Past & Present, vol. 247, no. 1, 2020, pp. 151-196.
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