An impressive early 20th century Arts & Crafts silver, lapis lazuli and cabochon mounted figural centrepiece, designed by the sculptor Richard Reginald Goulden (1877-1932), the central band inscribed with the motto "Eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart always rejoicing", in three sections, the top and middle apparently unmarked, the base part marked for Robert Stebbings, London, height 20.5in, diameter 17.25in, gross 286oz.

Richard Reginald Goulden was educated at Dover College and at the Dover School of Art from where he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. There he firstly studied architecture and then sculpture. He was awarded prizes for both and a travelling scholarship for sculpture. When he returned from his travels he produced two panels for the Carnegie Trustees in Dunfermline and was invited to become their Art Advisor. Living in Dunfermline for two years, he executed several commissions, amongst them the fountain “Let Noble Ambition” and the statue of Carnegie himself. He also designed the Carnegie Hero medal.

In the memorial to Margaret Ramsay MacDonald in Lincolns Inn Fields

Goulden created a bronze group to commemorate Ramsay MacDonald’s wife Margaret who was a social reformer and suffragette. In the scupltor`s composition an angelic figure is surrounded by nine cherubic children with similar poses to this centrepiece.

The cherubs to the base of the silver centrepiece are also similar to those on Goulden`s bronze Jacob`s Fountain in Malvern water fountain which depicts four water babies.

PROVENANCE:

By family tradition the centrepiece was designed by Richard Goulden for `Mrs Emery, friend of Andrew Carnegie in Scotland` and returned to the designer on her death. This probably refers to Mary Muhlenberg Emery (1844-1927), who on the death of her husband in 1906 became one of the richest women in the United States and a generous philanthropist. Mary Emery`s most costly benefactions were directed to the founding of Mariemont, Ohio, a planned community near Cincinnati built in English architectural styles, and to the formation of a major collection of paintings. With a shared interest in philanthropy and architecture it might be that Andrew Carnegie introduced Mary Emery to Richard Goulden, his Foundation`s art advisor, at the opening of one of fifty-five Carnegie Libraries he funded in Scotland.

Richard Reginald Goulden; thence by family descent.

The centrepiece was shown at a posthumous exhibition of Goulden`s works in his garden studio at 426 Fulham Road, London SW6, circa 1933.

(see black & white photograph on website).