''English Silver Before the Civil War'' is Timothy Schroder's account of English domestic and church silver from a little before the Tudor age (1485–1603) to the threshold of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

(1642–51). Focusing on a private collection formed over the last thirty years, the book also "provides a general introduction to the silver trade and to dining customs of the period."

Critical reception

Writing in ''

The Art Newspaper ''The Art Newspaper'' is a monthly print publication, with daily updates online, founded in 1990 and based in London and New York City. It covers news of the visual arts as they are affected by international politics and economics, developments i ...

'', Tessa Murdoch praised the book's "accessible text, exemplary silver photography, elegant design and careful editing". Her remarks were reinforced by Kirstin Kennedy in her review in ''

The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...

'': "Schroder’s clear, thoughtful account . . . marries object-based evidence with visual and documentary sources . . . The arguments of the text are supported by superb photographs . . . a clear layout and a detailed index." In ''Silver Magazine'', Dorothea Burstyn commented favourably on the book's production: "As with all books published by John Adamson, this volume has a very pleasing and elegant layout with gorgeous photography."

Philippa Glanville Philippa Jane Glanville (nee Fox-Robinson), OBE, FSA (born 16 August 1943), formerly chief curator of the metal, silver and jewellery department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, is an English art historian who is an authority on silver and the ...

captured the book's quintessence when she wrote in ''Silver Studies'': "From the first glance, the book is a celebration of the period, as well as of specific objects, and this shines through in every aspect."

Author

Timothy Schroder is an English art historian, born in 1953. After graduating from

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

and a year at the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

, he joined the Silver Department at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...

in 1976 and became Curator of Decorative Arts at

LACMA The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum). LACMA was founded in 1961 ...

in 1984. After returning to London, he was Curator of the Gilbert Collection at

Somerset House Somerset House is a large neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building complex situated on the south side of the Strand, London, Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadran ...

, Prime Warden of the Goldsmith's Company, and a dealer and consultant. He has recently served as President of the Silver Society (London). Among his other books are
''A Marvel to Behold: Gold and Silver at the Court of Henry VIII''
(Woodbridge: Boydell, 2020); ''The National Trust Book of English Domestic Silver, 1500–1900'' (Penguin/Viking, 1988); as well a
''Renaissance and Baroque Silver, Mounted Porcelain and Ruby Glass in the Zilkha Collection''
and other catalogues of silver collections, including that of the Ashmolean Museum.Timothy Schroder: ''British and Continental Gold and Silver in the Ashmolean Museum'' . Oxford: Ashmolean Museum.

References

External links

Publisher's official website
{{Authority control 2015 non-fiction books British non-fiction books Silver Art history books