STUART DEVLIN (1931-2018)

Stuart Devlin (1931–2018), born in Geelong, Australia, was an acclaimed modern goldsmith and silversmith whose innovative designs, technical mastery, and exuberant craftsmanship earned him the enduring title “the designer with the Midas touch.” A metalworking wunderkind from an early age, Devlin won numerous awards and scholarships that enabled him to study both in Australia and internationally, consistently distinguishing himself through exceptional artistic and technical achievement.

In 1958, Devlin was awarded three scholarships to study at the Royal College of Art in London. The strength of his work there earned him a two-year Harkness Fellowship to Columbia University in New York City. He returned to Melbourne in 1962, where he served as an inspector of art schools for the Department of Education. During this period, he also married his first wife, Kim Hose, an American nurse.

In 1964, Devlin gained international recognition when he won a competition to design new currency for Australia. This achievement launched an extraordinary career in coin and medal design, and over the course of his career he would create coinage for 36 countries. The following year, he moved to London and established his own studio, where he developed the distinctive body of work for which he became renowned.

Reacting against the austerity of preceding decades and rejecting what he saw as the abandonment of beauty in Scandinavian modernism, Devlin sought to create objects that were brilliant, richly detailed, playful, and unmistakably groundbreaking. His work encompassed gold and silver, jewelry, objets d’art, sculpture, furniture, and interiors, often drawing inspiration from nature and incorporating themes of flora and fauna.

Devlin became particularly celebrated for his limited-edition works, including his elaborately constructed Easter eggs and boxes, which are now among his most collected creations. He also undertook an extensive range of commissions, producing clocks, tableware, trophies, Olympic medals, and other exceptional objects. His patrons included several members of the Royal Family, and in 1982 he became jeweler to Queen Elizabeth II.

A prodigious creator throughout his career, Devlin was equally committed to fostering the talents of other designers and craftspeople. His prominent involvement with the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, his support and promotion of the artisans working in his studio, and the scholarships he established in his native Australia reflected his dedication to nurturing the next generation of creative talent. In recognition of his achievements, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1988.

In 1986, Devlin married his second wife, Carole Hedley-Saunders. He continued to work and create until suffering a stroke in 2014, which left him unable to draw. His remarkable legacy endures in the breadth and originality of his work, as well as in his enduring influence on modern goldsmithing, design, and the decorative arts.