Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

An 18ct two colour gold mounted crystal set pendant, on matching long chain by Gilian Packard, 1967, the rhodochrosite crystal intergrown with calcite and pyrite, mounted within an abstract setting with polished and textured baton detail, the pendant suspended on similarly designed long chain, (detachable), with maker’s mark ‘GEP’ and London hallmarks, pendant length 6.8cm, necklace length 65.7cm. £3000-5000

This necklace was a private commission by the vendor of this lot, the crystal being provided by the vendor himself to Gilian Packard.

Gilian Packard was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1938. Named Gilian (with one ‘l’ - because, as she said ‘my father couldn’t spell’), she established herself as one of the leading modern jewellers of the 1960s.

She studied at the Kingston School of Art, the Central School and also the Royal College of Art. After her third year at the RCA, her Diploma exhibition coincided with the public opening of their new building in June 1962. Gilian acquired from it one or two commissions for special pieces. With £50 prize money, she was able to purchase materials to fulfil these modest orders, hire a corner of a workshop (in Soho) from a friend and set to work. From these gentle beginnings the work began to snowball.

Most of her work was for private customers: ‘Designing for particular people is satisfying because one can design pieces that suit them as individuals’ . The other half of her production went to retail outlets such as Richard Ogden in Burlington Arcade or Cameo Corner. Progressive provincial jewellers such as Michael Jones in Northampton also retailed certain pieces She went on to win many important jewellery awards and become the first woman to become a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company.

She promoted modern jewellery design through her work as a teacher, becoming Professor of Jewellery and Silversmithing at Glasgow School of Art and then at the Sir John Cass Department of Silversmithing, Jewellery and Allied Arts at London’s Guildhall University.

She died in Aldeburgh in 1997. Examples of her work can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and in many public and private collections.

With thanks to the Goldsmiths’ Hall for additional information.
See: Obituary : Arline M Fisch in Craftnotes from CRAFTS JAN/FEB 1998.