Silver Exhibition in Christ Church Cathedral

A new exhibition of silver from the Dublin city parishes has been installed in the Treasury in the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. The exhibits are mostly of the core items of altar plate – chalices and flagons for communion wine and patens for the consecrated bread. However there are also examples of less common pieces – alms dishes to hold the collection, knives to cut the bread for communion, spoons to strain impurities from the wine and corkscrews to open the wine bottles.

The exhibits include work by some of the leading Dublin goldsmiths such as Sir Abel Ram, who was also Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1684, Thomas Bolton, one of the most celebrated and productive silversmiths of the Stuart period and David Rummieu whose early 18th century knife for St Michael’s church is believed to be the oldest Irish silver-handled knife.

Other pieces have less distinguished or uncertain pedigrees but are of interest for different reasons. A corkscrew from St Bride’s church was the gift of the curate the Revd James King, son of the famous Dublin goldsmith, David King, while an alms dish from St Thomas’ church was, according to the inscription, purchased out of the savings and good management of the churchwarden, Lewis Laurent – not surprisingly he was prevailed upon to remain in office for another five years!.

The pieces in this exhibition date from the 17th century onwards. Some are purely functional while others are considerable works of art. Together they reflect the dynamic interaction of the liturgical life of the Church of Ireland and the vibrant cultural life of the city of Dublin and, in particular, the Company of Goldsmiths, the only Dublin trade guild to survive from medieval times to the present day.

Christ Church is open to visitors from 9.45 am to 5pm during the winter months.