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This striking ceremonial standing cup and cover was created especially for the Museum by virtuoso silversmith Malcolm Appleby.
Date
1989-90
Made by
Peter Musgrove, Danuta Sotowiej, Parker Finishing and Maureen Edgar, and designed and decorated by Malcolm Appleby
Made in
Britain
Made from
Silver-gilt, rock crystal, enamel
Museum reference
On display
Making and Creating, Level 3, National Museum of Scotland
Did you know?
In 2014, Malcolm Appleby was awarded an MBE for services to hand engraving.
“The simplest and least expensive pieces should have the same inspirational quality as my most valued major works. Works of art should be made for everyone to enjoy- Malcolm Appleby
Above: Malcolm Appleby at work on the Cup and cover in 1990.
Malcolm Appleby was born in 1946 in West Wickham, in London, but has lived and worked in Scotland since the 1960s. He studied at Central School of Art, Sir John Cass and the Royal College of Art in London before establishing his studio in Crathes, Banchory in 1969. He moved to Grandtully, Perthshire in 1996. Among his many prestigious commissions are a condiment set for 10 Downing Street and a sculptural tablepiece for Bute House, the residence of the First Minister for Scotland. In 2014, he was awarded an MBE for services to hand engraving.
Here, Malcolm Appleby discusses his work.
Traditionally, master makers showed off their skills by creating elaborate pieces such as ceremonial standing cups and covers. Inspired by examples from the Museum’s collection of European silver, Appleby proposed a radical new design, incorporating hidden engravings and gems, a cup within a cup and 16 separate detachable pieces.
The slideshow below shows some more traditional cup and covers from the collection.
Silver-gilt steeple cup, made in London 1626-27 and signed with the initials CB. You can see this cup in the Art of Living gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.
Silver cup and domed cover engraved with the coat of arms, crest and motto of George Baillie of Jerviswood. Made by James Sympsome of Edinburgh, 1709-10. You can see this up in the Scotland Transformed gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.
Gold cup and cover awarded as the King's Plate Prize at Leith Races. Made by Ker and Dempster of Edinburgh, c1751.
Neill cup, with a cover topped by a sculpture of Britannia. Made by Mackay, Cunningham and Co of Edinburgh, 1843-44. You can see this cup in the Silver Treasury in the National Museum of Scotland.
Silver cup presented to Arthur Burr by the Marquees of Winchester. Made by Omar Ramsden and Alwyn Carr of London, 1910-11. You can see this cup in the Design for Living gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.
Malcolm Appleby’s beautiful and intricate drawings for the commission reflect his detailed design process and many of the influences on his work. The drawings include images of fantastical part- human, part-bird creatures, creeping vines and tiny beetles. He also created a wooden model of the cup and cover, to refine the balance and relationship between the separate parts of the piece.
The film below explores Appleby’s drawings in more detail.
An expert engraver, silversmith, goldsmith and jeweller, the Cup and cover demonstrates Appleby’s impressive range of skills. Also noted for his collaborations with other makers, Appleby worked with silversmith Peter Musgrove to raise the main body of this piece, the base and inner cup were cast by sculptor Danuta Solowiej and the gilding applied by the London firm Parker Finishing. The foot-nut has hidden red enamelled toenails, applied by Scottish artist Maureen Edgar.
Above: Cup and cover by Malcolm Appleby.
The Cup and Cover was completed in Spring 1990 and is now part of the Museum’s European Silver collection, together with the design drawings and models for the piece.
The slideshow below shows further details of the Cup and Cover, along with other works by Appleby from the collection, or which have been displayed at the Museum.
Gilt silver cup and cover, designed and decorated by Malcolm Appleby.
Detail of gilt silver cup and cover, designed and decorated by Malcolm Appleby.
Detail of gilt silver cup and cover, designed and decorated by Malcolm Appleby.
Silver bowl engraved on the exterior with irregular running scrollwork by Malcolm Appleby.
Hallmarks on a silver bowl engraved by Malcolm Appleby.
Wooden model for the Cup and cover
Platinum earrings made by Andrew Metcalfe and designed and decorated by Malcolm Appleby, 1993. You can see these earrings in the Making and Creating gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.
Gold medal designed by Malcolm Appleby and awarded to Sir James Black by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2001. You can see the medal in the Enquire gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.
'Tectonic beakers I and II', 2014, Malcolm Appleby and Jane Short. Measurements: Height 7.2cm Width 8.5cm. Image © The Goldsmiths’ Company. Courtesy ‘Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths'.'
'The Millennium Casket', 1999, by Malcolm Appleby, Height: 11cm, Length: 17 cm Image © The Goldsmiths’ Company. Courtesy 'Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths'.'
'Beaker', 2004, by Malcolm Appleby, Height: 7.5 cm Diameter: 8.5 cm. Image © The Goldsmiths’ Company. Courtesy ‘Collection: The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths'.'
