Lot 454
William Kirk - a set of five pairs of modern fruit knives and forks
Auction: 19 August 2013 at 15:00 BST
Description
William Kirk, Edinburgh 1964, comprising five pairs of fruit knives and forks, each with polished hardstone handles and simple silver collars decorated with engraved fruit, three pronged forks and simple tapered blades (10)
Footnote
Notes:
Born in 1933, William Kirk came to learn his craft through hands on experience while apprenticed to Charles Creswick in Edinburgh. Over time as his knowledge grew he set up his own workshop in 1961 and also worked as a tutor in silversmithing for both Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art.
He received numerous commissions, including one from Queen Elizabeth II and his work features in the collections of many individuals and institutions including Edinburgh University, the National Museums of Scotland and Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museum.
His pieces are always striking in their remarkable simplicity, a design ethos he strongly believed in, he also placed a emphasis on the practicality of his pieces, believing that they should be constantly in use so that over time the bumps and grazes they encountered became part of their aesthetic appeal.