Set out below are a selection of current and forthcoming exhibitions and lectures that the Society believes may be of interest. Please note that the organisation of these events is independent of the Society.
UK Exhibitions and Events
Marks of Deception: tackling fakes & forgeries in antique British silver Friday 11 April 2025 | 10:00 – 17:00 | Goldsmiths’ Hall
Hallmarking is one of the world’s oldest forms of consumer protection – a guarantee to those buying and selling items made of precious metals that they have been properly tested, and that the marks they bear truthfully reveal their composition – and a proud responsibility of the Goldsmiths’ Company since 1327.
But where you have systems designed to protect buyers and sellers, you will also find those intent on acts of deception – cunning artificers, who create fakes and forgeries, not just of the objects, but of the hallmarks themselves.
To tackle the creation and sale of spurious silver articles and hallmarks, the Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office has run the internationally renowned Goldsmiths’ Hallmark Authentication Committee (GHAC) – formerly the Antique Plate Committee – since 1939. Comprising established experts in the field, it advises the London Assay Office on the authenticity of an article’s provenance based on its hallmarks, professional analysis of the object, and a scientific analysis of its metals.
In this one-day seminar at Goldsmiths’ Hall, you will:
Hear how the GHAC and the London Assay Office help to protect consumers and the trade from fakes and forgeries of Antique British Silver
Discover the resources available within the Goldsmiths’ Company Library & Archive and learn how you can access them for free
Explore the different types of fake British silver created over the centuries
Learn how the Hallmarking Act applies to the world of Antique Silver
Get hands-on experience with objects from the London Assay Office’s Fakes & Forgeries collection under the expert guidance of GHAC members.
Tickets are priced at £65 per person and include two servings of tea, coffee and biscuits during the day along with a lunchtime sandwich buffet.
The Manx museum, Douglas will be holding a major exhibition celebrating the extraordinary legacy of Manx designer and artist Archibald Knox, whilst exploring how the Isle of Man’s unique cultural heritage inspired his work.
The Exhibition includes a large body of Knox’s silver and jewellery work retailed through Liberty & Co. The Exhibition opens with a symposium on the 5th April which will include several lecture son Knox’s silver.
- Date 05/04/2025 — 01/03/2026
- Location Manx Museum, Douglas
https://manxnationalheritage.im/whats-on/detail/knox-order-beauty
Goldsmiths North Contemporary Silverware & Jewellery Shopping Experience – 30th May to 1st June 2025
Goldsmiths North 2025 will take place between 30th May and 1st June 2025. An international shopping experience bringing the finest contemporary Silverware & Jewellery from the UK and Europe to the North of England, hosted in the magnificent Cutlers’ Hall in the heart of Sheffield. Link
Desire Jewellery & Silversmithing Fair – Waterperry Gardens, 11-13 July 2025 Link
The Edwardians: Age of Elegance
King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
11 April to 23 November 2025
Open: 10.00 am to 5.30 pm
Curated by Kathryn Jones
A major exhibition at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace which opens in April will explore the lives and tastes of two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary, and will cover their family lives and personal collecting as well as the glittering social circles in which they moved, their global travels and spectacular royal events.
Unseen Treasures of the Portland Collection at The Harley Gallery, Welbeck. Running until 31 December 2025. This exhibition offers a new look at the world-class Portland Collection of art. There will be silver and tapestry, paintings and jewels; art that has come home after a long loan to a prestigious national gallery, and stunning star items that visitors know and love – such as Michelangelo’s ‘Madonna of Silence’ or the pearl earring worn by Charles I at his execution. Tickets: Free. More information and booking via this link.
Goldsmiths’ Hall Tours
Home to the Goldsmiths’ Company – one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London – Goldsmiths’ Hall was designed by Philip Hardwick and opened with a grand banquet in July 1835.
Over the last 189 years the Hall has seen many splendid celebrations, fantastic dinners, informative lectures, spectacular exhibitions, fabulous fairs, exhilarating film shoots and an untold number of very important visitors, including actors, celebrities, politicians, members of the Royal Family, and now you!
In 2025, we are giving you the chance to experience the palatial grandeur of our grade one listed building on a 60-minute guided tour of its principal rooms with our Librarians and Archivists, and to see some of the treasures from our collection under the guidance of our Curators. A rare opportunity to step inside one of the City of London’s hidden treasures that is not regularly open to the public, on a site that has been home to the Goldsmiths’ Company for seven centuries!
Tickets are priced at £10 per person. Proceeds will go towards supporting the development of vocational skills and training in our trade and craft through the 1327 charitable fund.
International Exhibitions and Events
Irish Silver Exhibition at The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin: Permanent exhibition. More information via this link. Tickets: Free
‘The Metal stamp’d by honest Fame’ Gold and Silver Boxes in Dublin 1632-1830 – Dublin Castle (until 31st March) Link
Christofle: A Brilliant Story To celebrate the 200-year anniversary of Christofle, the Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs has mounted the largest-ever exhibition dedicated to the firm.
Christofle: Une brillante histoire / Christofle: A brilliant story – until 20 April 2025.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
107 rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11h00-18h00
Admission: 16€, which gives access to the entire museum
https://madparis.fr
Silversmiths of Lier
Now on and running until 21 September 2025 at the Stads Museum, Lier, Belgium is the exhibition “Silversmiths of Lier”.
From a simple spoon to an expensive salt cellar, from a simple chalice to an impressive reliquary. Centuries ago, a handful of silversmiths made utensils for the church and the bourgeoisie of the city of Lier. Dive into the history of silver craft and discover the beautiful silverwork of Lier makers. The publication by Marc Mees, Liers Zilver published by the Liers Historical Society accompanies the exhibition. Full details at the link below.
https://www.stadsmuseumlier.be/content/eeuwen-zilver-smeden-lier