This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
Omar Ramsden (1873–1939) was a goldsmith from Sheffield. He was a leading silverware designer and manufacturer in England. He lived on Fir Street in Walkley, Sheffield, Yorkshire but worked in London for most of his career.
Collaboration with Alwyn Carr
For many years, Ramsden worked with Alwyn Carr (1872-1940). Their first major commission came in 1898, when they won a competition to design a ceremonial mace for the City of Sheffield, which had received city status in 1893.
They went to London after winning the competition. They established the Ramsden & Carr studio in Chelsea, but their relationship terminated in 1919.
Ramsden’s mark used after their split was OMAR RAMSDEN ME FECIT (Latin: ‘Omar Ramsden made me’).
In 1921, he was elected a member of the Royal Miniature Society, where he displayed over 90 pieces. Ramsden and Carr were both members of the Church Crafts League, with Ramsden eventually becoming its Chairman.
War Memorials
In the early aftermath of WWI, Ramsden constructed several war memorials. The London Hop Trade War Memorial (next to the Southwark War Memorial); the Sandwich War Memorial; the Mayfield War Memorial (next to St Dunstan’s Church, Mayfield); the war memorial chapel at St Luke’s Church, South Park, Reigate; the war memorial at All Saints Church, Barrowby; the war memorial at Holy Trinity Church, Weston; and the war memorial (which specifically co-exists with the Southwark War Memorial).
The war memorials in Sandwich and Mayfield are both designated as Grade II.
A rosewater dish was provided as a WWI war monument at the Carpenters Company’s hall.
Church Plates
It became a specialisation to make church plates. Tudor rose ornamentation and chased texts adorned some of the pieces. The workshop’s pieces were in the 15th and 16th-century ornamentation and object-type styles. However, some of the early work was in the Art Nouveau idiom. Ramsden had a huge workshop in the 1920s and 1930s that specialised in embossing and finial, stem, and boss modelling and employed numerous artisans, including several designers, chasers, and enamelers. Ramsden was in charge of the production. During this time, the items were made in a lovely Tudor style.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
Wikipedia contributors. (2021, January 25). Omar Ramsden. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:42, September 6, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Omar_Ramsden&oldid=1002568243
