Archibald Knox Rare Liberty & Co. Art Nouveau Period Tudric Pewter Centerpiece (Scottish, 1864-1933) Tudric pewter centerpiece or jardiniere designed by Archibald Knox, circa 1905. Marked on bottom.
Size: 4 1/4" high x 9 1/4" diameter. 11" with handles.

Illustrated in the Stephen Martin book on Archibald Knox. Also, in the arts & crafts metalwork exhibition catalog for blackwell, the arts & crafts house in the lake district (exhibit 99), page 25. Marked to underside of base with liberty marks and design # 0755. Provenance: The Alan Schneider Collection.

Liberty & Co. opened in 1875 and from an early age it established itself as one of the most fashionable places to shop in london, Originally created to sell ornaments, fabric and objects de vertu from japan it soon expanded, occupying other shopping spaces on the street and establishing its world-famous eastern bazaar on the lower ground floor. In 1884, the costume department was added, where they created in-house apparel to rival fashion capital paris. Liberty & Co. also became famous for their wide selection of indian silks, considered to be the best in britain. Clocks, wall papers, table articles, metal work, jewelry and other decorative arts formed their offerings. It served as a major resource for both the art nouveau and arts and crafts movements, offering highly accessible design of solid quality. Liberty & Co. introduced to their patronage the up and coming jewelry artists, furniture makers and designers of the period. At the time, Liberty & Co. was said to have 'built up an influence that has laid hold of almost every section of society, and has been responsible for a radical change in the general opinion on aesthetic questions ' (Escritt 333). The accessibility of their goods became the key in its pervasive influence on the art nouveau movement.

Interior having some corrosion.