Assay Master adds to the collection with 'A' truly kinetic piece of artwork
Published: 4th February 2025
A New Year, a new date letter and a new commission for Sheffield Assay Office’s collection.
Sheffield Assay Office commissioned Dinner for 3 from Silversmith, Nova Smith. Dinner for 3, a kinetic candelabrum is the first piece of the year to be marked with an ‘A’ at the office. What is so significant about date letter A, a new typographic alphabet is issued every 25 years. And in 2025 the UK Assay Offices mark with capital letter A with its new typeface, case and shield shape, thus ensuring that each letter can only indicate one specific year. The date letter is a non-compulsory mark but is very useful for dating objects and marking special occasions.
Nova Smith’s designs and work had been spotted by the Assay Master whilst judging at Sheffield Hallam University. Nova was a past winner of the Assay Masters Prize for Excellence as a BA student in Jewellery in Metalwork and was asked to create a unique piece for the collection last year.
Dinner for 3 (Silver Edition) is a kinetic candelabra, a truly moving piece of artwork, designed to hold between 9 and 12 tall taper candles. Its focus is on smooth arcs of hand-turned movement, causing the candlelight to dance and revolve. The main body, candleholders, and handle are made from sterling silver sheet that has been hand-formed and constructed. The base and mechanism armature are crafted from brass, with the addition of a phosphor bronze runner to ensure smooth movement. The candelabrum features a large date letter A as a feature mark and a full set of laser hallmarks on its base, denoting the sponsor/maker, the fineness of the material, the town mark of Sheffield, the Rose, the date letter and mixed metal hallmark.
Nova Smith said ‘Dinner for 3, represents a significant milestone in my work. It is the largest and most complex piece I’ve made to date, and it holds the distinction of being the first piece to be hallmarked, in Sheffield, in the year 2025. This commission not only marks a personal achievement but also highlights the incredible support I’ve received from Sheffield Assay Office. Throughout my degree, the Assay Office has played a pivotal role in shaping my practice. In my second year, their award provided the silver for my first candelabra—a sprawling, spindly piece made from a mix of steel and silver—which was later exhibited in Sheffield Assay Office: 250 Years of Lasting Impressions at the Millennium Galleries, Sheffield. This experience led me to focus on silver much earlier in my career than I had originally planned. In my third year, after completing a series of kinetic candleholders for my degree show (mostly produced in copper, with a few smaller pieces refined into silver editions), the Assay Office commissioned the centrepiece of the series: Dinner for 3: Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd. I’m honoured that Dinner for 3 will have a permanent home in their private collection, and it’s a privilege to see my work in a collection with so many other talented makers’
Assay Master Ashley Carson said ‘I am delighted that this is the first piece to be marked with date letter A, this is a special year beginning with a new alphabet. I wanted to mark this new sequence of date letters with something quite different to anything else in the collection, and Nova has certainly achieved that. When I saw Nova’s work at Sheffield Hallam University, I instantly saw something unique, she had a huge body of work for her show, and I could tell she had an eye for detail, a clear vison, her work was large and impactful. Instantly engaging, I interacted with the work and knew it would be conversation starter across a table. The work was certainly the biggest and best in show. I give full credit to Nova for her unique design, her ability to deliver a remarkable commission to such a high level of finish. It is no easy task to achieve a deadline and deliver on time. I wish Nova every success with her career and look forward to supporting her in the future’.
The Sheffield Assay Office and Nova Smith look forward to sharing this special commissioned piece with the public at this year’s Goldsmiths North, 30th May - 1st June 2025 at the Cutlers Hall, Sheffield. Tickets are now available to book from the Goldsmiths North website Contemporary Silverware & Jewellery Selling Fair-Goldsmiths North
For further information contact Assay Master/Chief Executive Ashley Carson or Archivist/ Curator Emma Paragreen on 01142312121or email carsona@assayoffice.co.uk or paragreene@assayoffice.co,uk
Nova Smith - Nova Smith | Silversmith
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver, gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
To find out more about the whole range of services offered by Sheffield Assay Office, such as our hallmarking and analytical services, please email us at info@assayoffice.co.uk or complete the contact form on our website at http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/contact-us ,
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