Wilton Armetale is a pewter and silver look-alike material developed by the Wilton Brass Company in 1963. The metal was ideal to make cook and serve wares that were inspired by specific themes.
The Artistic Design category is one of the collections created by the company. The emphasis of this collection was on historic reference. It was also more eclectic in applicable environments than categories like Natural, Grand or Classic. The products under this collection interpret historic references in a contemporary manner.
The Artistic Design Collection includes sub-categories like Antiquity, Songs & Sonnets and Visionary. We look at each of these sub-categories in the following sections.
The Antiquity Collection
The products in this collection reference various cultural designs, many of them dating back to antiquity. Ethnic designs of ancient and more recent tribal communities are reflected in this collection.
The tribal motifs include American Indian and African designs used during historical times. Early American folk art designs are also included under the Antiquity category.
The African collection includes pitchers, trivets, bowls, casseroles, chip & dip servers, trays and wine bottle coasters, with rim designs inspired by tribal art displayed on canoes, houses, fabrics, shields and other objects of the tribal communities of Chad, Kenya and several other African countries.
The Doves & Hearts series was based on American folk art motifs, such as the Lovebirds Bread Tray that depicted two lovebirds facing each other with a heart between them. The series seeks to recapture American Colonial, Traditional and Country environments.
Songs & Sonnets Collection
This series celebrates the diversity of the world's people, as seen through songs, stories, poetry and designs of different communities. We look at a few examples.
The Potlatch series remembered the ceremonial gift-giving festival of American Northwest Coastal Indians. The series included carved Canoe Bowls, Eagle candleholder, a Totem of a Bear and Beaver, a plate with a Raven and Human Face, a tray with layers of masks and faces and a bowl with a Seal design.
The Reggae series employed a festive and whimsical combination of spirals and zig zags to evoke the rhythms of the Caribbean.
The Copacabana series references the deco architecture of South Miami Beach, with stylized palm tree and coconuts along a beach evocative of ocean waves and clouds above.
The Visionary Collection
This collection includes the Scroll, Oasis, Elara, Boston and Free Form series.
The lively scroll designs infuse the symmetry of classical designs with the dynamic movement of the scroll motif.
The flowing lines and sweeping forms of the Oasis series seeks to capture the strength of Italian Futurism and organic flow of Japanese Zen.
Elara is one of Jupiter's moons, and products in this series have highly polished curvilinear surfaces and sculptured contours, creating a contemporary cosmopolitan ambience.
Free form designs are seen in such collections as those created by Bruce Fox in Free Form Bowls and Banana Leaf Large Servers, and in the Cloud series serving pieces inspired by cumulous clouds.
The Wilton Armetale Artistic collections are indeed eclectic, suitable for varied environments.
About the Author
Daniel Cheng operates Madeline Ashley an exclusive dealer for Arthur Court, Wilton Armetale Serveware and Giftware. Visit http://www.madelineashley.com/ for entier collection of Arthur Court design, Wilton Armetale.
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