Author Topic: Joseph Whitworth portrait casting on Antiques Roadshow  (Read 2431 times)

Offline Pete.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1075
  • Country: gb
Joseph Whitworth portrait casting on Antiques Roadshow
« on: April 24, 2016, 04:14:19 PM »
Just watching Antiques Roadshow and someone brought in an excellent cast portrait of the great Joseph Whitworth, removed from a building at Crewe. It's just a shame that the 'expert' didn't seem to have a clue who Whitworth was or his significance as one of the fathers of modern engineering.

Estimated £500-£800, I would have guessed that it should have another nought on the end. I find it a great shame that something comissioned and made with such obvious pride should be left to rot by the rail industry then end up getting swapped for a 5 quid wooden desk (how the owner came to have it). This should be restored and hanging proud for the world to see in the Science Museum, or the National Rail Museum.

BBC Iplayer if you missed it - Antiques Roadshow  Series 38: 24. Trentham Gardens 1

Offline Lew_Merrick_PE

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 690
  • Country: us
Re: Joseph Whitworth portrait casting on Antiques Roadshow
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2016, 05:02:24 PM »
Pete,

Yeah, he and Ernest Lowenhertz created modern assembly technology!

Offline Eugene

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 150
  • Country: gb
Re: Joseph Whitworth portrait casting on Antiques Roadshow
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2016, 04:19:58 AM »
The piece was originally made and subsequently silver plated by Elkingtons of Birmingham who got a passing mention.

Elkingtons were the first company to establish a high quality silver plating process based on potassium cyanide, and produced beautiful work over many years. It was down to them that Birmingham became the centre of the plating industry for both industrial and decorative purposes. Their original factory was The Birmingham Science museum when I was a small boy; spent many happy hours in there. So there is another notable angle to the plaque apart from the association with great man himself.

I thought the auction estimate was about right.

Eug