Sotheby's London, December 4, 1985, lot 96
Joan and Clive Collins, London, 1985

The Liberty Style, Metropolitan Teien Museum of Art, Tokyo, June 12-July 25, 1999, followed by a tour to six different museums in Japan through June 2000

Liberty Silver Sketch Book, Westminster City Archives, n.d., p. 220, no. 290
The Liberty Style, exh. cat., Japan Art & Culture Association, Tokyo, 1999, p. 103, no. 136 (for the present example illustrated)
Adrian J. Tilbrook, The Designs of Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co, London, 2000, n.p. (for the present example illustrated)
Stephen A. Martin, Archibald Knox, London, 2001, p. 181 (for the present example illustrated)

Overall in very good condition. A wonderfully rare and well balanced example, enhanced by vibrant hardstones. The silver surfaces present with a few minute surface scratches and very light tarnish concentrated to the recessed areas of the design, consistent with age and gentle handling. The rim of the coupe is very slightly out of round, visible only on close inspection. The stem appears to have a very slight lean along one axis, which is very minor. Two minor areas of sensetively undertaken restoration along the stem, only visible upon close inspection. The color of the hardstones presents with slightly deeper and richer hues when viewed in person in comparison to the catalogue illustration. The red is slightly more amber in color and the green displays a lighter, mint green palette. A superb and rare example distinguished by its elegant elongated neck which creates a larger canvas to depict the exceptional hardstone decoration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Chalices and presentation cups were a feature of Edwardian secular life and a particularly successful design idiom for Archibald Knox.  There appears to be no evidence that Knox’s chalice designs followed a linear progression yet some seem earlier in conception than others.  This chalice, dated 1901, has decorative elements that suggest that it might have been conceived early on in Knox’s consideration of the chalice or cup form.  The first is its single stem construction.  The second, and more compelling, is the presence of wirework hard stone buds that climb halfway up the stem.  Not only do they enliven the chalice design with colored accents echoing the stones on the base, but their presence might allude to Knox’s eventual shift toward the use of multiple stems or wirework alone as the support for a wider and more rounded cup in other variants thus making this chalice an important transition piece in the evolution of these designs.

DR. STEPHEN A. MARTIN