CRAFT STORIES | EUROPE | UK | SILVER

Asprey | The Story of Silver

In the history of British silversmithing, Asprey is at a confluence: a maker of fine domestic silver fit for everyday use, a creator of grand spectacle trophies, royal commissions, and international emblems, and a bespoke silversmith capable of crafting almost anything for a discerning client. Read on to discover the history of silversmithing at this uniquely British Maison, from the 18th-century until the present day. 

From Georgian tea-sets presented in grand estates across the English countryside, to ornate championship trophies tumbling down the terraces at football stadiums, and bespoke gifts bestowed with pride for special occasions, Asprey’s silver history is a story of uniquely British craftsmanship.

The Maison’s silver collection, both archival and contemporary, is rooted in utility, elevated into luxury, and sustained by skill and expertise. Where many traditional silversmithing workshops have closed their doors or moved operations abroad, Asprey has always kept its core silversmithing in the UK.

Founded in 1781, Asprey quickly established a reputation for designing and producing silver objects of the highest quality and secured its first Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1862. Originally specializing in functional silver, such as tea sets, cutlery and dressing-cases, Asprey’s oeuvre evolved to include luxury travel accessories and objects of great celebration and status.

As the enterprise grew, Asprey’s workshops moved from the Surrey suburbs to west London. Here, in a series of workshops, a core team of master silversmiths are still at work today, using century-old tools to raise, chase, hammer, polish and engrave fine silverware.

Crafting fine silver objects demands a high level of skill and meticulous attention to detail. The process begins with hand-drafting precise patterns according to a client or designer's brief, after which master silversmiths will melt and cast high-purity silver and hammer, raise, and shape it into form. Techniques like chasing and repoussé add intricate surface decoration, while engraving the metal provides crisp crests and monograms. Finally, pieces are carefully soldered, filed, and polished to achieve flawless symmetry and luster, before each object is subject to rigorous inspection.

What distinguishes Asprey's silver is both the longevity of its silversmithing, and the scale and prestige of its commissions. The Maison creates iconic, globally recognizable sporting trophies, including the world-famous sterling silver Premier League trophy – which, with its silver gilt and green-malachite plinth, took more than 600 hours’ of craftsmanship – the Soccer Aid Shield, and the turning figure atop the Race to Dubai golfing trophy, which depicts 19th-century professional golfer, Harry Vardon.

Beyond sport, Royal and bespoke commissions have defined Asprey’s pedigree. In 1953, to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the Maison produced an 18-carat gold dessert, coffee and liqueur service – an extraordinary silver-gold piece that toured the United States – and, in 1959, a silver quaich bearing the royal arms of Princess Margaret, engraved with her initial under a coronet.

Among other notable Royal commissions, Asprey's master craftsmen also made a sterling silver seal box in 1962, chased with the Royal Arms, for Queen Elizabeth II, and, in 1986, a silver dressing-table box for Princess Margaret, later displayed at Kensington Palace.

In a fast-paced era of mass-production, Asprey’s silversmithing endures, a testament to age-old techniques that require time, patience, repetition, and intimate knowledge of the metal. The meticulous process of raising a trophy, chasing a relief, hand-engraving a name, or polishing silverware to a mirror-finish remains deeply skilled and artisanal. 

"All the customer sees is the finished product but there is a lot more going on behind the curtain," agrees one of Asprey's master silversmiths. "First, I look at the drawings or sketches and work out which techniques and processes I will use to fabricate each part, [and] join them together. Then I work out the order to make the pieces... then I start making. This can also involve making tools, jigs [a frame tool to ensure repeat jobs are exactly consistent], and various templates needed to make the silver parts."

Next time you see the subtle hallmark of a silver set, or the carefully engraved names on a sporting trophy or gift, consider not just the metal but the human time and touch – a craftsman’s hammer blow, an engraver’s steady hand, a designer’s sketch given life and immortalised in silver.

Images by Milo Brown

Asprey London | www.asprey.com