Gerald Benney

About Gerald Benney

The dominant British silversmith in the second half of the twentieth century, Gerald Benney was born in 1930 in Hull. His early years were spent in Brighton, studying at the Art College (1946-48) where his father, the painter E A Sallis Benney, was Principal. Gerald was taught silversmithing by Dunstan Pruden, who also had an independent workshop in the nearby art and crafts permeated village of Ditchling, where Benney also worked one day a week. Following military service Benney went on to the Royal College of Art.

Graham Benney Hughes’ biography, Gerald Benney - Goldsmith: The story of fifty years at the bench (1998), contains many of Benney’s thoughts about design and life. The clean, minimal forms of Scandinavian Modern influenced his early work, evidenced in the silverware designs for which he received the Prince of Wales scholarship (1952). His wider influence resulted from work as Consultant Designer to Viners of Sheffield (1957-69), an early design for the company being an elegant pewter Martini jug and matching tankards (1953-63). Working in holloware, cutlery and flatware, many of his designs were commercially successful, including the classic Studio and Chelsea patterns for cutlery and flatware.