Restoration, repair and commissioning of silver items.

Our silversmiths are Perry Glossop and Co, run by Peter Perry and his son Chris. Peter learned his trade at James Dixon and Sons, one of Sheffield’s greatest and the manufacturer of the early Christopher Dresser designs. There is very little that Peter and Chris can’t do to revive teapots, trays, salvers salt cellars etc. We have also taken on commissions from all over the country. If you have items for restoration/repair or want something made, click here to send details. We will get back to you with further information.

Profile: Christopher Perry, Silversmith

Chris Perry definitely has metalworking in his blood. Dad Steve set up Perry, Glossop and Co in 1984, specialising in repairs and restoration, and producing cutlery to traditional patterns and Chris was involved from a very early age. "Dad would always be dragging me down to the workshop," he says with a smile, "I'd help out with simpler jobs like annealing and cutting sheets and from the age of 12 or 13 that was pretty much my summer holiday".

It would have been very easy for Chris to move straight from school into the business but he wanted to explore all the possibilities of design and making. A string of qualifications including an MA from the Birmingham School of jewellery enabled him to do just that, working alongside London silversmiths Howard Fenn and Alfred Pain.

Several years later he returned to Perry Glossop and Co with a raft of new ideas and skills and his girlfriend, now wife, graphic designer Karen. "It's great to be based in Sheffield. You're surrounded by so many skills - spinners, casters, engravers and as a manufacturer that’s a big help."

Since then Chris has established himself as one of the country's leading makers and in 2004 he was invited to exhibit at the Goldsmith's Fair, the most prestigious trade exhibition in the country if not the world. Today, Goldsmith's remains a key event in the calendar. "For a week you're seeing a relentless string of potential customers and hobbyists and it is exhausting. But the sale actually accounts for 25% of our annual turnover in sales and commissions so it's something we really need to do."

With the rocketing price of silver and the labour intensive processes involved profits are hard to come by these days. Most of Chris's work sells for between £1k and £2k but many of the unique objects he produces will take weeks not days to make. He's happy to embrace modern techniques and technology but his heart is still clearly in the magic of making something by hand. I think my customers like to feel that they have something completely hand crafted and I invest something of myself in every piece." Chris still likes to hand deliver his work just to see where it's going to 'live'.

For The Famous Sheffield Shop Chris has revived a few pieces that have seen better days. One had apparently been run over by a car! For Paul Iseard, Chris is a real 'go to' maker and for Chris, Paul is a great front of house person for local industry. "It's good to have Paul on board," he comments, "He's proactive and enthusiastic and does a lot of the promotional legwork that the rest of us don't want to do!"

In the run up to Christmas, Chris feels a bit like Santa's elf. Beautiful tree decorations in silver and gold nestle in tissue paper around the work bench, boxed and ready for sale. "They start at £40 and enable people to buy my work who wouldn't ordinarily be able to afford it." I'm not sure whether children Finley and Elena are in line for something handmade by dad this Christmas but yes, there's a ring already on the way for Karen. Looking at the beautifully finished silver cup in Chris' hand all I can say is - lucky girl!

http://www.christopher-perry.co.uk