97 - A contemporary silver 'Swirling Fish' water jug.

A contemporary silver 'Swirling Fish' water jug. Rod Kelly, London, 2015. The baluster-shaped jug raised on a domed, circular foot and chased with scaled fish and swirling water against a hammered ground to body, the eyes of the fish inset with gold points, gilded to interior, together with a design drawing by Rod Kelly for a similar 'swirling fish' jug, signed Rod Kelly, 2011, the jug 22.2cm high, approx. weight 31.5ozt Footnote: Rod Kelly (b.1956) is one of Britain’s foremost silversmiths, renowned for his mastery of low-relief chasing and the artistry of his vessels. Trained at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art, Rod is now based in Shetland, where he draws inspiration for his work from the weather and the wild landscapes of the natural world around him. His work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the V&A Museum, the National Museum of Scotland, The Fitzwilliam Museum and the Ashmolean Museum. His numerous commissions include ecclesiastical silver for St Paul’s, York Minster and Lichfield Cathedral, a cup for the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Ascot and a silver and enamel dish for the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Rod Kelly describes himself as ‘meticulous’ and ‘endlessly patient’; attributes that lend themselves to the art of chasing. “Chasing as a technique is very slow”, he explains, “it’s not immediate. A beaker, for example, would take me seven or eight days and I’m very happy with the sort of pace.” A jug similar to this example (although chased with decoration inspired by Androcles and the Lion) can be seen illustrated on pg. 86 (fig. 103) of Contemporary British Silver Designers by John L. Davis and Gordon Hamme.