Lecture Programme 2026
27 January
Alexandra Watson Jones
Loot, trophies and royal gifts: Ethiopian Jewellery in UK collections
This talk examines a selection of Ethiopian jewellery found in Britain’s national collections today, including at the V&A and National Museums Scotland. It considers jewellery looted from Ethiopia during a famous 1868 military expedition, items acquired during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930s, and pieces sent to Britain as gifts by Ethiopian Emperors. The talk explores how and why these objects have been collected and displayed by British individuals and institutions, and how they reflect changing political and diplomatic relationships between Britain and Ethiopia.
24 February
AGM followed by
Florent Guérif
The Parisian House of Fouquet, illustrating an art of jewellery between 1860 and 1937
Alphonse Fouquet (1828–1911), a highly regarded designer and modeller, conceived his jewellery as works of art, drawing inspiration from various historicist themes of the late 19th century. He passed this cultural heritage on to his son, Georges Fouquet (1862–1957), who surrounded himself with visionary artists who played an essential role in developing a new art form in jewellery. In collaboration with his son, the avant-garde designer Jean Fouquet (1899–1984), he spearheaded a resolutely modern collective movement in which jewellery once again served an ornamental function.
24 March
Diane Venet
Artists’ Jewelry - from Cubism to Pop
An artist’s jewel, like a painting or sculpture, is a true work of art — born from the same creative impulse, carrying poetry, humour, and emotion. Its worth lies not in carats or sparkle but in artistic vision. From Picasso to Kapoor, Koons to Dali, my collection of over 220 pieces, gathered over 30 years, celebrates this playful yet rigorous dialogue between art and adornment. Each creation reflects an encounter — with artists or collectors — revealing a world where art transcends itself. Through exhibitions worldwide, I hope to inspire new connections and discoveries in this vibrant realm of artistic jewellery.
22 April
Joint lecture with the Silver Society.
Kieran McCarthy
Carl Fabergé and the art of silver
While Carl Fabergé is world-renowned for his elaborate jewelled creations, his extensive work in silver is often overlooked. Yet silver was central to the operations of his firm, with production spanning both its St. Petersburg and Moscow workshops. The vast silver workshop in Moscow, employing hundreds of craftsmen, was so prolific it was referred to as a “factory”.
In this lecture, Kieran will explore the remarkable range of materials used by Fabergé, including some unexpected ones, with a special focus on the firm’s diverse and often exquisite works in silver. He will delve into the workshops involved in their creation and examine the variety of silver objects produced, from elegant tableware to enamelled pieces evoking the folkloric charm of ‘Old Russia.’
26 May
Gerardine Mulcahy-Parker
Jewellery created by two modern sculptors, Alfred Gruber (1931-1972) and Jacqueline Stieger (b.1936)
For sculptors Alfred Gruber and Jacqueline Stieger, their meeting in Switzerland in 1962 marked the beginning of a fruitful relationship. Through collaborative experimentation, they learnt to stretch the possibilities of sculpting materials and exploit the transformative qualities of common and precious metals. The creation of art jewellery was a natural departure and by 1966 it was featuring in exhibitions of their work. Having settled in England, Gruber registered their maker’s mark in 1970. Sadly, he died shortly after. Their distinctive jewellery had caught the attention of Graham Hughes, Art Director of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, whose ongoing support proved invaluable. This talk will discuss the sculptural evolution of Gruber Stieger jewellery and Stieger’s ongoing career, when art jewellery played an increasingly important role in her sculptural output.
23 June
Mary Davis
Heirlooms, antiques and relics: dress accessories in the Galloway Hoard
The Galloway Hoard, discovered in 2014 in southwest Scotland, has transformed our understanding of the kingdom of Northumbria during the Viking Age. Buried c. AD 900, the Hoard contains about 5kg of silver bullion in the form of Hiberno-Scandinavian arm-rings and ingots. But the objects packed inside a silver lidded vessel within the Hoard are truly unique: silver disc brooches, curated heirlooms, amulets of rare materials, and precious fragments of textiles. This talk will review what ongoing research at National Museums Scotland can tell us about how jewellery was worn, repaired and handed down in the heart of the Viking Age.
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