An Elizabeth II Diamond-Set Gold, Silver and Mineral Specimen ‘Fairy Tale’ Castle
by William Tolliday, London, Circa 1970, Retailed by Garrard

the gold castle formed of various circular or oblong turrets with castellated battlements and steeply tapering textured and oxidised silver spires, some with flagpoles, some of the windows set with diamonds, all perched on a shaped mineral specimen base set with a further gold battlement and all resting on a blue agate base, with a gold dock on one side and various textured beaches and applied with a three-masted sailing ship
the base 22cm wide, 28cm high overall

William Tolliday (Lots 2228-2232)

Earlier in his career the celebrated goldsmith William Tolliday worked for the renowned jeweller Andrew Grima (1921-2007), where he will no doubt have been inspired by the virtuoso techniques that were the hallmarks of Grima’s work. It was not until the he joined the workshop of Garrard and Co. Ltd, then Crown Jewellers, that the work of Tolliday was to become known on its own merit. Early on at Garrard he produced framed gem-set collages in precious metals which were usually set on canvases, such as the four following lots, depicting respectively the Acropolis in Athens, a fantasy Viking ship the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, and a further depiction of a medieval bridge, presumably Old London Bridge. Each example is signed ‘William Tolliday’ and the first three are further dated ‘69’, which must date them to early in his career with Garrard.

It is William Tolliday's fairy castles, such as the present example, however for which he is best known and which he produced during the quarter century in a workshop over Garrards’ showroom in Regent Street. Like the present example these castles are made of variously formed turrets, usually with castellated battlements and with textured and oxidised silver spires. Often the windows will be set with diamonds and the turrets capped with flags. Each rests on a specimen stone base, the shape of which informed the design of the end product.