Estimate: £5,000 - £7,000
Auction: Day Sale (Lots 52 to 481) - 26 April at 10am
stamped maker's mark and hallmarked for London 1993, initialled MB 93 (to each dragon), silver and enamel
8.6cm high, 21.5cm wide (3 3/8in high, 8 3/8in wide), approximately 1935 grams
Provenance:
The Gordon Hamme Collection.
Literature:
Davis, John and Gordon Hamme. Contemporary British Silver Designers: The Lion & Hamme Collections. ACC Art Books: Suffolk, 2022, p. 225, fig. 451, illustrated.
“I have spent a lifetime in awe of nature and never tire of studying it. Every piece I make enhances my understanding. My aim is to develop my ability as a craftsman to communicate this deep admiration through my work."
- Martin Baker in 'Contemporary British Silver Designers: The Lion & Hamme Collections. p. 223.
Martin Baker's practice is a celebration of nature. He works across numerous mediums including silver, gold, enamel, carved stone, glass, and wood - choosing each piece with care to best realise his designs. Baker attended the Central School of Art and the Royal College of Art where he was contemporary with Jane Short, with whom he shared a studio. Baker and Short joined forces for this piece, with Baker carving the dragons and Short executing the enamel - the result of which being a harmonious and elegant design that shows a clear understanding of each other's sensibilities and design approach.
Baker's work is held in important collections internationally including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the corporate collections of Tiffany, De Beers, and Disney.