LESLIE GORDON DURBIN: A good silver and unmarked gold pitcher

London 1955

Footnotes

This Durbin design is illustrated in Hughes, 'The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths as patrons of their craft 1919-53', London 1965, item 85.

The Latin inscription translates to: 'This pledge of thanks was given to Eric Keightley Rideal in deepest reverent gratitude by his students whom he inspired for 43 years with his teaching and example. 1912 - 1955'

Eric Rideal (1890 - 1974) was an English physical chemist. He saw action on the Western Front in the First World War, and carries out research at UCL for which he was awarded and MBE. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1930 and received a knighthood in 1951.

LESLIE GORDON DURBIN MVO CBE (1913 - 2005)

Born in Fulham in 1913, Leslie Gordon Durbin secured a London County Council Trade scholarship at the age of 13. He went on to study at the Central School of Arts & Crafts, and was later recommended by the Head of the Silversmithing Department to Omar Ramsden who took him on as an apprentice. One of Durbin's duties was to engrave the words 'OMAR RAMSDEN ME FECIT' on finished objects. In 1938 he won a Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' scholarship for a full-time place at the Central School.

Leslie Durbin at the outbreak of war was aged 26, he was not called up until 1941 and in 1943 he was given leave from the Royal Air Force to work on the Stalingrad Sword for which he was made an MVO.

Reference: John Andrew and Derek Styles, 'Designer British Silver', 2015, pp.186-193.