Gerald Adrian Sallis Benney CBE (21 April 1930 – 26 June 2008) was a British silver and goldsmith who along with David Mellor and Robert Welch popularised stainless steel designs in post-war British homes. Like Mellor and Welch he was influenced by modern Scandinavian design and in particular Georg Jensen.[1][2]
Gerald Benney | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gerald Adrian Sallis Benney 21 April 1930 Kingston-Upon-Hull, England |
| Died | 26 June 2008 (aged 78) |
| Occupation(s) | Silver and goldsmith |
| Spouse |
Janet Edwards (m. 1957) |
| Children | 4, including Simon Benney and Paul Benney |
Early and family life
editHe was born in Kingston-Upon-Hull on 21 April 1930. His father, Ernest, was the principal of a local art school and his mother was a silversmith. The family moved when his father became the principal of Brighton College of Art. He attended Brighton Grammar School and studied at Brighton College of Art from 1945 under Dunstan Pruden. He began his national service in 1948. He began attending the Royal College of Art in 1950. In 1957 he married journalist Janet Edwards in Sherborne St John. They had a daughter and three sons.[2]
Career
editHe was the first British craftsperson to ever hold four Royal Warrants at the same time. The modern Scandinavian style Gerald developed was taught to him by Berger Bergensen.[3]
Among his works are the altar plate for Coventry Cathedral and maces for five English universities,[4] and three in Australia (University of New England (1956); University of Newcastle (1966); and Flinders University (1969)).[5] The Victoria and Albert Museum has a number of his pieces in its collection.[6] He also created cutlery for Viners.[2]
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours, "for services to art".[7]
His son Simon Benney (born 1 January 1966) now runs the business; he has also held four Royal Warrants simultaneously.[8] An older son, Paul Benney (born 30 May 1959), is an artist.
He died on 26 June 2008.[2]
References
edit- ^ John Andrew (July 2008). "Gerald Benney: Distinguished goldsmith". The Independent. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d Graham Hughes (24 July 2008). "Obituary: Gerald Benney | Business". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Gerald Benney The Silversmith". Edinburgh Silver. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Silversmith". British Pathé. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ Erratt, Christine (2018). Ceremonial maces of Australian universities (1st ed.). Northbridge, NSW: Parker Press. ISBN 9780646989235.
- ^ "Benney, Gerald CBE, RDI". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "No. 53893". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 30 December 1994. p. 8.
- ^ "House of Benney". Handmade: By Royal Appointment. Series 1. Episode 3. 20 June 2016. BBC Television. Retrieved 7 February 2021.