The profusion of designs showcasing precious metals at the Collect Fair warranted a dedicated article.
Robyn Neild, ‘Private Garden’ detail with 19th century folk bench embellished with solid bronze botanicals (navelwort) 56x115cm, presented by Jagged Art
Here we’ve gathered some of the pieces that caught our attention, including Robyn Neild’s naturalistic sculpture, a vintage bench sprouting a multitude of enchanting wild fungi in bronze. It captures a touch of woodland magic, and the charm of hand-crafted time-worn furniture, in an irresistible combination of patina and textural pattern.
Isabelle Azais, Mutant Coral hat pin, presented by Objects Beautiful
Isabelle Azais’ hat pin presented a similarly attractive vision, on an altogether different scale. Referencing sea rather than land, this fantasy jewel, rich with metallic shades and decorative motifs, is adorned by tiny notes of colour.
We first spotted Kye-Yeon Son’s ethereal pieces, inspired by wild grasses dancing in the breeze, last year. Her repertoire this spring further explored dynamic negative and positive spaces, with a focus on imagined and real movement. She also references “the beauty of endurance and harmonious survival in their environment” of graceful meadow and prairie plants. Drawing attention to their finesse and resilience is all the more poignant as we face the challenges of climate change worldwide.
Kye-Yon Son Innate Beauty 2022-2024 steel bowl 42x45x18cm, presented by Craft Alliance Atlantic Association
The Innate Beauty theme continued with a series of jewels, some silver and gold plated, others with berry-like beads at their heart, as shown below.
Goldsmith Fair’s space highlighted a collection of 100 rings, created by 100 jewellers from across the UK. Standout pieces included Max Danger’s quirky and endearing “Smutte – the cute but sometimes naughty pufferfish”, that is our feature image for this article.
We couldn’t locate all details for the rings that we singled out, although Ruth Tomlinson’s ocean-inspired design was instantly recognisable, but we don’t have its name or description. If you can help with that information and ID the other ring in our above gallery, we’d love to hear from you. The two brooches in our little gallery were also selected for their originality, our four pieces spanning romantic, natural, modernist and eclectic styles.
Adi Toch, L-R, Blushed Whispering Vessel, 2023, Britannia silver, copper, moonstones; Liquid Form, 2022, 958 Britannia silver; Whispering Vessel, 2023, Britannia silver, green amethyst, presented by Galerie Marzee
Galerie Marzee exhibited a collection of distinctly smooth and sophisticated pieces by Adi Toch, including the above trio, and some wall pieces that we published, along with a portrait of the artist, on our Instagram page on the 2nd March. They had a vast display of fabulous pieces by other makers too, including the porcelain brooches in our earlier Collect 2025 review.
Gallery BR also had a dedicated room brimful of scintillating treasures. We particularly admired the work of Hiroki Iwata, choosing a combination of sumptuous boxes and exquisite jewels, as shown above. Also on display, this vibrant and delicately detailed pendant, a diminutive and mysterious interior composition, by Itto Mishima, below.
Itto Mishima, room “green”, 2024, Silver 950, stainless steel wire, ceramic electro-coating, nylon cord, presented by BR Gallery
The FIVE Collective guest exhibitors this year were Alice Fry and Rajesh Gogna. Alice is an award-winning jeweller and silversmith, whose sculptural metalwork “reimagines secret geological treasures that appear out-of-this-world”. She is best known for her use of the metal niobium, which she anodises to create vividly coloured standout pieces. These included new beakers and a dramatic pair of candlesticks for Collect 2025.
Alice Fry, wearing a Mineral Specimen Brooch in niobium and sterling silver, and holding a spectacular sculptural box in silver, gold and niobium, presented by FIVE. Photo: Emma Boden
Jessica Jue, one of the three core members of FIVE, is a London-based silversmith and jeweller. The sculptural aesthetic and blended surfaces of her bold and fluid designs are deeply influenced by her Chinese heritage and Austrian upbringing.
Jessica Jue, Mosaic Bowl, silver, gilded and oxidised, presented by FIVE Collective
Rajesh Gogna is a fourth-generation silversmith and goldsmith, who is building on his family’s legacy in the field of fine contemporary metalwork. His pieces combine traditional techniques with a singularly modern look. Some of the items shown were inspired by the Brown Betty Teapot, others focussed on playful zip motifs.
Rajesh Gogna with his silver Classic Ice Teapot. The Golden Moment Teapot, in anodised aluminium, hand raised and chemically bonded, that is in the background was acquired by the V&A during the Collect Fair. Presented by FIVE. Photo: Emma Boden
I asked Rajesh if I could video him pretending to pour tea from his Classic Ice Teapot. The Instagram reel, entitled ‘Cool and Collected’, which I shared to his page, promptly went viral, garnering 1,465,154 views and almost 6000 likes to date. Viral? Certainly on the way.
Rajesh Gogna, Unzipped Wall / Table sculpture, silver, presented by FIVE.
Annick Tapernoux’s Memory Boxes, pared back silver forms, textured by thousands of tiny hammered blows reveal sensory surfaces reminiscent of patterns glimpsed on the distant moon. Shaped from tombac, silver 999 and oxidised silver, these are pieces to be stroked and held, pressed into practical use, hiding further treasures within.
Annick Tapernoux, Memory Boxes in silver 999/1000 hammered from 8x8x13cm, presented by The Cold Press
Rounding off our review, Brigitte Clavette’s poetic receptacle invites connection too (does it open?) rewriting mere functionality, carefully poised on its decorated base, an enigmatic and highly covetable piece.
Brigitte Clavette, Sans Titre (Untitled), 2024, sterling silver, jet, raised and fabricated, 15x10cm, on birch wood platform, 8.5×30.5×30.5cm, presented by Craft Alliance Atlantic Association
Text and all images © Armadillo Central, 2025, photographed at The Craft Council’s Collect Fair at Somerset House, London.
Check next year’s Collect Fair dates on the Crafts Council’s dedicated pages.
