Dr Christopher Dresser aesthetic ivy leaf silver plated basket

A stunning Aesthetic Movement silver plated basket of Naturalistic form, typical of Dr Christopher Dresser, using trailing ivy tendrils as handles and repousse curling leaves as the basket and rim, Circa 1880.

The piece bears hallmarks for Hukin & Heath, who were one of the foremost English silversmiths of the 19th Century. In 1878 they hired Dr Christopher Dresser as Artistic Director to the firm and continued to use his designs until the turn of the 20th Century.

Christopher Dresser (4 July 1834 – 24 November 1904) was a Scottish designer and design theorist, now widely recognised as one of the first and most important, independent British designers. He was a pivotal figure in the Aesthetic Movement and a major contributor to the allied Anglo-Japanese or Modern English style, both of which originated in England and had long-lasting international influence.