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Goldsmiths and silversmiths were active in many Scottish towns
during the Middle Ages. In the 1420s in Edinburgh, there were enough
craftspeople working in precious metals to establish their own trade
guild, the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh.
To assure customers that objects made in their member's shops were
unalloyed, an Assay Office was established in 1485, that tested
gold and silver objects for purity. Bowls, tankards, silverware,
and other objects that passed the test were stamped with a distinctive
"hallmark." The Edinburgh hallmark was an image of a three-towered
castle.
Graham Stewart is considered one of Scotland's leading silversmiths
and silver engravers. A second-generation silversmith, he has been
making fine silverware as well as precious jewelry at his Dunblane
workshop for over 20 years. Using a variety of smithing techniques
- including forging, raising (forming hollow ware from a flat sheet
of metal), carving, and engraving - Stewart creates beautiful objects
that range from very traditional christening spoons and quaichs
(shallow bowls used for sipping whisky), to innovative, contemporary
interpretations of bowls, candlesticks, teapots, and jewelry. His
work is often commissioned by and for museums and as presentation
pieces. Recently, he was one of a small number of Scottish silversmiths
commissioned to produce items for the Millennium Collection at the
First Minister's Edinburgh residence, Bute House.
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