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Stuart Devlin

Australian, 1931-2018

Stuart Devlin was a mid-century modern Australian metalworker whose sparkling creations showcased the luster of silver. He used techniques like filigree and gilding to make a range of sterling silver serveware and decorative sculptures.

Devlin was born in Geelong, Victoria, in 1931. From 1951 to 1955, he taught gold and silversmithing in the town of Wangaratta. He went on to study at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1957 and earned a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London in 1958. Devlin was awarded a two-year Harkness Fellowship by the Commonwealth Fund, which he used to spend time at Columbia University in New York City.

After returning to Melbourne, he won a competition to design Australian coinage in 1964. His initials are still on the 1966 Australian 50-cent coin. A year later, he moved back to London and opened a workshop. There, he began producing limited-edition Christmas boxes and Easter eggs, which continue to be highly prized by collectors. Devlin also took commissions for coins and medals from countries around the world. From 1979 to 1985, he operated a popular showroom on London’s Conduit Street.

Devlin was widely acclaimed and recognized for his work over his long career. In 1982, he was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment as Goldsmith and Jeweler to Her Majesty the Queen. From 1996 to 1997, he served as the Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company. In 2000, he designed a coin series for the Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Devlin retired to Littlehampton, West Sussex, where he died in 2018 at the age of 86. As described in his obituary in The Guardian, Devlin sought to bring “delight, surprise, intrigue and even amusement” to modern style.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Stuart Devlin serveware, decorative objects and more.

Stuart Devlin - Mid Century Pair of Sterling Silver Salt Cellars - London 1969
By Stuart Devlin
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1969 by Stuart Devlin, this stylish pair of Sterling Silver Salt Cellars, feature flame pierced gilt sides, and gilt interiors to the bowl. Each salt cellar...
Category

1960s English Scandinavian Modern Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Sterling Silver

20th Century Stuart Devlin Solid Silver Cigar Ashtray, c.1972
By Stuart Devlin
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Modern 20th Century Stuart Devlin solid silver gilt cigar ashtray, the textured surface with an organically formed border, the plain bowl resting on a circular foot. Hallmarked Engli...
Category

20th Century English Stuart Devlin

Materials

Silver

Stuart Devlin Silver Candlesticks with Gilt Shades - set of 6
By Stuart Devlin
Located in Maidstone, GB
Set of 6 Stuart Devlin Silver Candlestick bases, with Gilt Shades, each hallmarked underneath, London 1974. Both base and shades are rare triangular style. Three of the candlesticks...
Category

1970s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Sterling Silver

Stuart Devlin Silver Gilt Novelty Egg with Humming Bird
By Stuart Devlin
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A highly collectable and delightful silver gilt novelty egg containing a hummingbird by renowned silversmith and artist Stuart Devlin (Australian, 1931-2018) and dated 1977. Stuart D...
Category

1970s Australian Modern Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Silver

Stuart Devlin Commemorative box with Royal wedding Charles & Diana
By Stuart Devlin
Located in Braintree, GB
Stuart Devlin commemorative silver and parcel gilt box with Royal Wedding Charles & Diana portraits. The box is in circular drum form, applied with a cast double portrait bust and f...
Category

1980s British Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Silver

Rose Coffee Table by Stuart Devlin
By Stuart Devlin
Located in Maidstone, GB
Rare coffee table designed by Stuart Devlin. Glass table top lays directly on the base box of gilt wood rose petals. Base of table measures 44cm x 44cm x 38cm high.
Category

1980s British Modern Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Glass, Wood

Rose Coffee Table by Stuart Devlin
Rose Coffee Table by Stuart Devlin
H 15.75 in W 29.53 in D 29.53 in
Stuart Devlin, Sterling Silver & Gilt Centrepiece Rose Bowl, London 1982
By Stuart Devlin
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1982 by Stuart Devlin, this striking, Sterling Silver Rose Bowl, is elegantly created in Devlin's recognisable style, with the remo...
Category

1980s English Scandinavian Modern Vintage Stuart Devlin

Materials

Sterling Silver

Set six mid-century silver & gilt Champagne flutes
By Stuart Devlin
Located in London, GB
Set stylish mid-century Champagne flutes with tapering cone-shaped stems and circular bases decorated in a mottled pattern and gilded. The hand-hammered bowls also have gilded interiors to create a most attractive and elegant appearance. This is a typical design from Stuart Devlin. At Langfords, we stock a large selection of antique and contemporary silverware from some of the most collectable silversmiths, including Stuart Devlin, Paul Storr, George Adams, Omar Ramsden and De Vecchi. Who is Stuart Devlin? In the 1960s, with old silversmithing techniques dying out, Devlin cut the chains of tradition and developed new techniques and experimented with old ones, to create radically different designs. His unique approach incorporated intricate silver-gilt decoration to produce a wide variety of tactile surfaces and filigree forms instead of just plain silver. Gilded filigree is an important design motif of his large centrepieces and candelabra, while silver-gilt features in Champagne flutes, goblets and beakers. His distinctive Easter egg and Christmas box curios, now collectors' items, are instantly recognisable as his. Among his most popular commissions, Devlin designed coins for 36 countries throughout the world, including the UK, and precious medals and coins for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games...
Category

Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Stuart Devlin

Materials

Sterling Silver

Browse all Furniture from Stuart Devlin
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Stuart Devlin furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Stuart Devlin furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of silver and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Stuart Devlin furniture, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Stuart Devlin were created in the modern style in united kingdom during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Garrard & Co. Ltd., Christopher Lawrence, and John Ward. Prices for Stuart Devlin furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $956 and can go as high as $89,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,908.

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