Category: Art
This exhibition marks the first time that the Cheapside Hoard has been displayed in its entirety since its chance discovery deep under a cellar floor in London’s Cheapside over 100 years ago in 1912. At nearly 500 glittering pieces strong, the Hoard includes delicate finger rings, cascading necklaces, Byzantine cameos, beautiful jewelled scent bottles, and a unique Colombian emerald watch. Now known to be a jeweller’s stock-in-trade, this priceless collection of jewels is the City of London’s most exquisite stash of buried treasure. And it is the single most important source of our knowledge on early modern jewellery worldwide.
The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels at the Museum of London will consider why and when it was buried and by whom. It will also use the jewels to explore the wider landscape of 16th and 17th Century London, and in particular, the clandestine world of the Elizabethan and Jacobean goldsmith-jeweller. The exhibition will also offer new evidence about the individuals and communities engaged in mining, cutting, trading and buying jewels and it will look at their creative talents, craft skills and manufacturing techniques. The jewels will be shown with a range of objects to reflect craftsmanship, taste and fashion, and portraits of goldsmith-jewellers, patrons and consumers will be used to illustrate the importance of jewellery in early modern society. Surely a must see for anyone interested in jewellery design, and indeed anyone working within the wider design community.
On Thursday 17 October 2013 you are invited to don your favourite bling between 7-10pm and join the Museum of London for All That Glitters @ Late – a dazzling night of jewels and gemstones. Embrace the world of Elizabethan and Jacobean chic through creative workshops, sparkling talks and immersive performances and enjoy the galleries by twilight, with live music and late night bars.
All That Glitters @ Late highlights include:
•Hazel Forsyth, the curator of The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels, presents four thematic talks over the course of the evening, exploring the magic and meaning of jewellery
•Diagnose diamond cuts, discover replicas of famous diamonds, unravel tales of lore behind gemstones and find out what makes and breaks the rocks you wear, in a special sessions with The Gemmological Association of Great Britain.
•Music from four-piece melody masters BeauBowBelles bring the glitter to the gala with jewellery inspired songs with a vaudevillian twist
•Morley College turns back the time to 1660 where you can marvel at and model a myriad of period costume pieces from ruffs, corsets and hats. Then get to grips with jewellery making, with a hands-on demo.
•Inspired by the Cheapside Hoard, the art collective, Artful Badger, whip up a musical frenzy of past and present which will have you dancing in no time
•Practice your swagger and swaddle as Costumier and Stage Combat duo Shoni and Rob take you on a journey through how clothing shaped the mind and manners of Elizabethan aristocracy
•Try your hand on a touchstone, hammer a hallmark and learn your carats from your plums as you test the purity of your very own jewellery with The Goldsmiths’ Company
•Creative outfit HurdyGurdy provide a glittering workshop where you can create your own bespoke jewellery from stitched brooches to sparkling hair pins.
•Strike an Elizabethan pose and get your picture taken in the Mighty Booth.
The exhibition costs £10, Concession/child (12+) £8 & tickets to All That Glitters @ Late cost £10 (concs £8.50, Combined late event and The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels ticket: £15 (concessions £11.50, Museum of London Friends FREE)
Book online at www.museumoflondon.org.uk or phone the Box Office on 020 7001 9844