LOUIS OSMAN

Louis Osman was born in Exeter 1914 and studied drawing at the Slade School of Art and trained at the Bartlett School of Architecture. In 1935 he became a FRIBA and won a scholarship which took him to Syria on a British Museum expedition. During the war he was a major in intelligence and in 1940 married Dilys Roberts who would later become his enamellist. He registered his hallmark in 1957 after his friend Gerald Benney had encouraged him to work in silver and he managed to excel in being a goldsmith and medallist as well as continuing his career as an architect. He designed the treasury to hold silver at Lincoln Cathedral and produced the Welsh gold crown for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969 and in 1976, the gold, enamelled casket for the Magna Carta, given by the British government to celebrate the Bicentennial, and now in the Capitol at Washington; and a long succession of magnificent, provocative treasures for the collection at Goldsmiths' Hall. In 'Treasures of the 20th Century' he is quoted '"Mass production does not particularly interest me. I feel that what I do should have its roots in the past but should be completely modern and of today." He only ever worked to private commission throughout his entire life, his work being outside current design trends and entirely of his time.' He often used Britannia silver which is more malleable as well as having a richer colour. Peter Musgrove, Andrew Marsden, Michael Knight all worked with him and Wally Gilbert was with him from 1982-8. Osman died in 1996. 

For an extended biography and more illustrations of his work, see a full chapter on LOUIS OSMAN in my book:                                                                          
DESIGNER BRITISH SILVER - from Studios Established 1930-1985 (styles-silver.co.uk)