{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O145999"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O145999/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4222/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT4222/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT4222","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O145999","accessionNumber":"CIRC.397D-1967","objectType":"Cutlery set `Thrift'","titles":[{"title":"Thrift","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"David Mellor (1930-2009) was an English silversmith and industrial designer. He trained as a silversmith at Sheffield College of Art (1946–8) and the Royal College of Art (1950–54). In 1954 he established a silversmithing workshop and studio in Sheffield and became a design consultant to the firm of Walker & Hall. It manufactured his earliest designs, including the ‘Pride’ range of electroplated silver cutlery (1953), the simple and elegant forms of which were inspired by 18th-century English cutlery. This was the first in a series of cutlery designs, for which he is best known (examples London, V&A; Goldsmiths’ Co.) and which received numerous Design Centre awards. In 1962 he became a Royal Designer for Industry. In 1963 the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works commissioned from him a range of silver cutlery and tableware for use in British embassies and in 1965 the minimalist ‘Thrift’ range of stainless steel cutlery, to be manufactured at low cost and used in government institutions. In 1975 he began to manufacture his own cutlery at Broom Hall, Sheffield, using innovative, highly mechanized methods; in 1988 production was transferred to a purpose-built factory, designed by Michael Hopkins (b 1935), at Hathersage, Derbys. Although Mellor concentrated on industrial design, including bus shelters (1960) and road traffic signals (1965–70) as well as cutlery, he continued to execute private commissions for the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, London, and commercial organizations.","physicalDescription":"Stainless steel cutlery and flatware. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Mellor, David (CBE, OBE RDI)","id":"A3003"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Walker & Hall Ltd.","id":"A3004"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"stainless steel","id":"AAT10920"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forging (metal forming)","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"polishing","id":"AAT53867"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Stainless steel, forged and polished","categories":[{"text":"Design Council Award Winner","id":"THES49046"},{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Product design","id":"THES49025"},{"text":"Tableware & cutlery","id":"THES48888"},{"text":"Interiors","id":"THES48933"},{"text":"Household objects","id":"THES48939"},{"text":"Shekou","id":"THES279777"},{"text":"Values of Design","id":"THES279818"},{"text":"Design Society","id":"THES279819"}],"styles":[{"text":"Modernist","id":"AAT21474"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BT4222"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES404531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES404531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES404531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES404531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES404531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Table knife","id":""}],[{"text":"Table fork","id":""}],[{"text":"Soup spoon","id":"AAT43175"}],[{"text":"Dessert spoon","id":""}],[{"text":"Teaspoon","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sheffield","id":"x29138"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1966","earliest":"1966-01-01","latest":"1966-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the manufacturer through the Design Council","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397D-1967","note":"Teaspoon"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"13.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397D-1967","note":"Teaspoon"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"21.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397-1967","note":"Table Knife"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397-1967","note":"Table Knife"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397A-1967","note":"Table Fork"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397A-1967","note":"Table Fork"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397C-1967","note":"Dessert Spoon"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"18.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397C-1967","note":"Dessert Spoon"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"4.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397B-1967","note":"Soup Spoon"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"21.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CIRC.397B-1967","note":"Soupspoon"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This cutlery set was given a Design Council Award in 1966.  It was commissioned by the Ministry for Public Works as standard cutlery for use government office canteens, hospitals, prisons, British Rail etc. This cutlery set provided significant savings by Mellor reducing the traditional eleven piece place setting to a basic five piece set.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Cutlery set, `Thrift', stainless steel, Sheffield, made by Walker and Hall Ltd., 1966, designed by David Mellor","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Christopher Frayling, <u>David Mellor, master metalworker</u>, Sheffield, Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust, 1998, p.44-45. ill."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Teleri Lloyd-Jones, <u>David Mellor Design</u>, Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 2009. p.5 &amp; 85. ill."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lily Crowther, <u>Award Winning British Design</u>, London, V&A Publishing, 2012. p.17"}],"production":"Designed for the Ministry of Public Buliding and Works","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[{"text":"Ministry of Public Works","id":"AUTH350990"}],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["CIRC.397D-1967","CIRC.397-1967","CIRC.397A-1967","CIRC.397C-1967","CIRC.397B-1967"],"accessionNumberNum":"397","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1967,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Teaspoon","Table knife","Table fork","Dessert spoon","Soupspoon"],"assets":["2017JU8779","2017JU8780","2017JU8781","2017JU8782","2017JU8783"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-16","recordCreationDate":"2008-02-25","availableToBook":true}}