A Short History of Jewellery Designer Henry George Murphy

January 21st, 2012

Henry George Murphy was born in Birchington-on-Sea in Kent in 1884 and even as a small boy he showed an interest in jewellery.  In 1899 the jewellery designer Henry Wilson offered him an apprenticeship and Murphy worked for Wilson until 1912, when he set up his own workshop.  He initally worked in silver but soon moved on to gold and expensive gems.  In 1922 he designed a gold, topaz and sapphire tiara for Mary, Princes Royal for her engagement, and in 1924 he designed a miniature version of the crown jewels for Queen Mary’s dolls’ house at Windsor Castle.

Murphy designed mainly pendants, brooches, rings and buckles in styles from Arts and Crafts to Art Deco.  The pieces were exquisite and stood out from the cheap, repetitive jewellery of the day, which consisted mainly of cheap diamond chipped rings and brooches.

In 1928 Henry George Murphy founded the Falcon studio and took up making silverware such as church plate, trophies and domestic items covering a range from tankards to egg cups.  His circular modernist coffee set won a gold medal at the Milan International Exhibition in 1933.  Murphy’s first passion though was jewellery and he produced some stunning earrings and necklaces in the Art Deco style.  He also produced a sizeable range of  inexpensive silver brooches, his zodiac and animal designs being particularly popular. Continue reading »

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