Early 20th Century Garrard London Winston Churchill Sterling Silver Coin Letter Opener Paper Knife

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Vintage Winston Churchill Centenary sterling silver letter opener / paper knife / paperweight produced by Garrard & Company. Features a … Read more Vintage Winston Churchill Centenary sterling silver letter opener / paper knife / paperweight produced by Garrard & Company. Features a large commemorative coin emblazoned with Winston Spencer Churchill 1874-1974, overlaid with Churchill's portrait. Reverse features his armorial bearings / coat of arms. Number 5/100. Designed by John Spencer Churchill (nephew of Sir Winston) and Alex Styles, Garrard’s senior designer.

Garrard & Co. Limited designs and manufactures luxury jewelry and silver. The company that was to become Garrard was founded by George Wickes (1698–1761), who entered his mark in Goldsmiths' Hall in 1722. Wickes set up business in Threadneedle Street in the City of London in 1722; the company moved to Panton Street off Haymarket in central London in 1735 as a goldsmith and provider of jewelry and other luxury items to aristocratic patrons. Wickes was an accomplished silversmith known for his work in the rococo style, and gained the patronage of Frederick, Prince of Wales. Two apprentices of Wickes, John Parker and Edward Wakelin, purchased the company following Wickes' retirement in 1760, replaced by John Wakelin and William Taylor in 1776. Following the death of Taylor, Robert Garrard became a partner in the company in 1792. Garrard took sole control of the firm in 1802, with his sons Robert Garrard II, James and Sebastian succeeding him in running the company, trading as R., J., & S. Garrard (or Robert Garrard & Brothers) until James' retirement in 1835, when the company became R & S Garrard. The company remained in the hands of the Garrard family until the death of Sebastian Henry Garrard, great-grandson of Robert Garrard senior, in 1946. The name Garrard & Company Ltd was registered in 1909, and the company moved to new premises in Albemarle Street in central London in 1911. In 1843, Queen Victoria appointed Garrard as the first ever official Crown Jewelers, leading to the production of numerous pieces of silverware and jewelry for the royal family, as well as the upkeep of the Crown Jewels. The company has dealt with a number of famous jewels, such as the Cullinan diamonds (including Cullinan I, "The Great Star of Africa"), and created such pieces as the Imperial Crown of India in 1911, the crown of Queen Mary for her coronation, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth in 1937. In 1852, Garrard were given the responsibility of re-cutting the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond into a brilliant. In 1848, Garrard produced what is now referred to as the America's Cup, the oldest international sporting trophy. The Cup is an ornate sterling silver bottomless ewer originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a yacht race around the Isle of Wight in England, which was won by the schooner America. The trophy was renamed the 'America's Cup' after the yacht and was donated to the New York Yacht Club under the terms of the Deed of Gift, which made the cup available for perpetual international competition. Garrard amalgamated with The Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company in 1952, when they closed their Albemarle workshops and moved premises to Regent Street. In October 1959, Mappin & Webb, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings, bought Garrard. In July 1990, Sears sold Mappin & Webb and Garrard to fellow jeweler, Asprey plc, retaining an 38.5% interest in the expanded group. In 1998, Asprey plc was renamed Asprey & Garrard and moved from 112 Regent Street to premises on New Bond Street. The company demerged in 2002, with Garrard returning to the Albemarle Street site it first occupied in 1911. Garrard was acquired by the US private equity firm Yucaipa Companies in 2006, ending its partnership with Asprey. Jade Jagger was the creative director for the company from 2001 until being replaced by Stephen Webster in 2006. In 2012, Sara Prentice was appointed creative director of the brand. In 2007, Garrard & Co's services as crown jeweler were no longer required, with the reason cited being that it was simply 'time for a change'. This ended over 160 years of Garrard's tenure as the inaugural British Royal Jeweler, although Garrard still holds a royal warrant from Charles III while he was Prince of Wales.
Dimensions:
10" x 2" x 0.75" (Width x Depth x Height) / 143.4 g See less