Arts & Crafts jewellery and silver by Edith E. Morris, New Zealand

Edith Emily Morris (née Hopson) was born in Hougham, Kent, England in 1895. She emigrated to New Zealand with her family in 1924, settling in Auckland, Dunedin, and then Wanganui. In the mid-1930s, the family moved to Wellington, where Edith took a course in metalworking at Wellington Technical College. She began producing jewellery and metalwork from a workshop in her home at Days Bay in 1936.

Morris was a regular contributor to the annual exhibitions of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts from 1937 onwards. She was influenced by the art and design traditions of many cultures, and her work often incorporated elements from these traditions. She also used New Zealand subject matter, such as greenstone, Maori design elements, and native birds.

Morris worked predominantly in silver, using soldered layers of metal. The finish was usually a plain polished surface, but she sometimes applied an artificially antiqued background more... for contrast. Semi-precious stones, often large and unfaceted, were a common feature of her rings and brooches. Her interest in astrology also influenced her work, and she often used stones that were associated with particular astrological signs.

In addition to rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and spoons, Morris also made miscellaneous items such as paperweights, bookmarks, and hairpins. Her work is held in the Otago Museum, as well as in private collections in New Zealand and overseas. Her customers included foreign diplomats working in Wellington.

Morris was also a talented seamstress, pianist, artist, and painter. She was known for her forthright personality and sarcastic wit, but she was also generous and respected for her integrity. She died in Wellington Hospital on 28 December 1965, and was survived by her husband and sons. A retrospective exhibition of her work, "Edith Morris, Silversmith", was held at the Otago Museum in 1994. less...