Louis Osman Interest
Louis Osman
”He was an architect, goldsmith, draftsman, art historian and art patron. Most of all he was a creator of genius” - these are the words Graham Hughes, Art Director of the Goldsmiths’ Company, used to describe Louis Osman.
Even as a youth Louis Osman (1914-1996) showed a flair for creativity, channelling his talent into his training at the Bartlett School of Architecture in the 1930s and also studying drawing at the Slade School of Art. Louis began his career as an architect in the office of Sir Albert Richardson and from the beginning was keen to question traditional methods and push design and construction to their limits. He first made his name when he rebuilt the bomb damaged Convent of the Holy Child Jesus on Cavendish Square, London, and much of his other architectural work comprised restorations or extensions to historical buildings, most notably Staunton Harold, Ranston House in Dorset and Shere Church in Surrey. Another architectural tour-de-force was the neo-rennainsance plate glass palazzo Principal’s Lodge he designed for Newnham College, Cambridge.
In the early 1960s “Osman moved out of masonry and into precious metals with grace and apparent ease.” Under the direction of Graham Hughes, the Goldsmiths’ Company commissioned Louis first to design a new treasury for Lincoln Cathedral, and then in 1969 to make the crown which the Company presented to the Queen for the Prince of Wales’ investiture at Carnarvon Castle - “the best known piece of new British gold of [the] century”. As well as his silver and gold work Louis also designed and produced jewellery, mostly for commission, but sometimes for exhibition. The Goldsmiths’ Company later went on to host the ‘Louis Osman Gold Exhibition’ at Goldsmiths’ Hall, also commissioning several further important works from him, including the wonderful ‘Water lilly mazer bowl’ centrepiece, which Dix Noonan Webb are delighted to offered here for sale.
Louis “always undertook meticulous research to ensure his commissions were appropriate for the individual or institutions commissioning them, with the design drawings in pencil, ink and watercolour, often embellished with gold leaf, being works of art in their own right”, and this is clearly demonstrated by the beautiful designs and drawings he produced, and the annotations he added to them, which comprise the second part of his personal archive offered here.
See: Moore, J., Louis Osman (1914-1996): the life and work of an architect and goldsmith, Halsgrove, 2006.
Collection Information
This collection was sold on 26 March 2019.
Other Collections Sold in 2019
- Tokens from the Late David Griffiths Collection
- London 17th Century Tokens from the Collection of Quentin Archer
- English Coins from the Collection of the late Dr John Hulett
- Coins of France from the Collection of the late Tony Merson
- The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins
- English Coins from the Collection of the late John Atkinson
- British Copper and Bronze Coins from the Collection formed by the late Hiram Brown
- The Collection of British Coins Formed by the Late Ray Inder
- The Paul Shimmin Collection of Isle of Man Banknotes
- 19th Century Tokens from the Collection of the Late Francis Cokayne
- A Collection of Tokens, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Medals Relating to Aviation, the Property of a Gentleman
- Scottish Educational Award Medals from the Collection formed by the late T.H. Watts
- A Collection of Medals for the Russian Intervention 1918-20
- A Collection of Medals to Casualties from the Battle of Imjin River, 22-25 April 1951
- Medals from the Collection of Peter Duckers
- A Collection of Medals to the 23rd Foot Royal Welsh Fusiliers
- A Collection of Medals to the South Wales Borderers
- A Collection of Medals to the 21st (Yeoman Rifles) Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps
- A Collection of Fire Brigade Medals
- The Collection of Halfcrowns formed by Brian Dawson
- A Collection of Watches and Rings by the Award Winning French Designer Jean Muller
- Louis Osman Interest
- A Collection of Memorabilia relating to family of Thomas Percy, Bishop of Dromore, and Edward Whalley
- A Private Collection of Jewels by de Grisogono
- The David Kirch Collection of Jersey
- Banknotes from the Brian Dawson Collection
- A Collection of Maundy Sets
- A Collection of Jetons, the Property of a Gentleman
- The ‘Merchant of the Islands’ Collection of Admiral Vernon Medals
- Swedish Medals from the Collection formed by the late Sven Gahlin
- A Small Collection of Ancient Coins, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Medals for the Second Afghan War 1878-80
- A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals to Town Guard Units
- A Collection of Egypt and Sudan Medals for the Nile Campaign 1884-85
- The Collection of Medals to Yeomen of the Guard formed by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Denny
- A Small Collection of Great War Medals to the Royal Sussex Regiment
- A Collection of Medals for the Russian Intervention 1918-20
- A Collection of German Militaria
- The Colonel Farnes Collection
- Books from the Library of Peter Duckers
- The Terence Maudlin Collection of English Hammered Pennies
- Coins and Medals by David Ramage, from the Collection of the late Robert Thompson
- A Collection of Shillings, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Maundy Sets
- Tickets and Passes of London from the David Young Collection
- A Collection of Bois Durci Medals
- Roman Coins from the Collection of Keith Cullum
- British Coins from the Collection formed by J.D.D. Brown
- The Private Collection of a Gentleman
- The David Livingstone Collection
- A private collection of Regimental and Royal Memorabilia relating to Corporal Ernest G Moffatt
- A Collection of Gallantry Awards to the Lincolnshire Regiment
- The Robin Scott-Smith Collection of Medals to Casualties
- A Collection of Medals to Second World War Royal Air Force Casualties
- A Collection of Medals for the Boxer Rebellion 1900
- A Collection of Russian Historical Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- British Coins from the Collection of Dr John Tooze
- Gold Coins of Elizabeth I from the Collection formed by Walter Wilkinson
- A Collection of Elizabeth II Coins and Proof Sets in precious metals
- A Small Collection of European Thalers and their Fractions
- A Collection of Great War Military Medals to the Lincolnshire Regiment
- The John Nicholson Collection of medals to men who fought in the Kaffir Wars of 1834-53
- A Collection of General Service Medals for Northern Ireland
- World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector
- The Collection of London 17th Century Tokens Formed by the Late Cole Danehower
- The Collection of Worcestershire Tokens Formed by the Late Michael Paterson
- 18th Century Tokens from the Collection of the Late David McDonald
- The Collection of Scottish Tokens Formed by the Late Michael Paterson
- Tickets and Checks from the Collection of Bob Lyall
- English Coins from the Collection of the late Keith Cullum
- Coins of the Carlisle Mint from the John Mattinson Collection
- A Collection of Edward IV Groats
- Coin Weights from two Private Collections
- A Collection of Coins of the Indian Sultanates
- A Collection of Historical Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- The ‘Millennium’ Hoard of Æthelred II Pennies and cut Halfpence from Suffolk
- The Gordon Freestone Collection of 20th Century British Coins
- An Important Group of Ephemera relating to Thomas Graham, Master of the Mint
- A Private Collection of Sovereign Cases
- A Collection of Medals Relating to the 1st Anglo-Boer War 1880-81
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