posted 09-18-2010 12:19 PM            

George Ernest Germer was an extremely accomplished and underrated 20th century silversmith.

Germer's father was a well-respected German jeweler, and Germer designed jewelry, although a newspaper account of his life says he hated it "because the work required so much effort in small detail." He preferred holloware, especially ecclesiastical silver which he focused on later in life. A rare sketch of a ring he made:

Here's his bio, from Henry P. Macomber's Silversmiths of New England:

"George E. Germer, the son of a Berlin jeweler, was born in 1868. He showed an early love for ecclesiastical silver, even before his apprenticeship with Otto Gericke of Berlin, from whom he learned chasing and modeling. At the annual exhibition of apprentice work in 1885, he won the medal awarded by the City of Berlin for chased repoussé. He came to the United States in 1893 and for nearly twenty years found employment in New York, Providence, and Boston. Since 1912 he has worked independently and devoted himself almost entirely to ecclesiastical silver. Some years ago he moved his shop to the little town of Mason in southern New Hampshire."

"He has produced work of remarkable distinction from designs by prominent church architects and also from his own designs, based on his broad knowledge of the traditions of both Protestant and Catholic churches. For St. George's Chapel, Newport, he made a beautiful silver-gilt Bishop's staff, inlaid with ivory and with enameled coat of arms, from designs by Cram and Ferguson. A silver gilt ciborium with a repoussé panel depicting the Supper at Emmaus, an altar cross with chased repoussé and embellished with stones, and an offertory plate purchased for the Detroit Institute of Arts, were made from Mr. Germer's own designs, as well as a chalice and paten purchased for the Chapel of the Gardner Museum in Boston. Mr. Germer's work is notable not only for his masterly workmanship but also as an embodiment of his reverent devotion to his art and his understanding of church symbolism."

We have just one Germer piece, but it's quite nice:

posted 09-18-2010 12:27 PM            

An illustration in a 1928 American Magazine of Art story showed a Germer ciborium along with an altar cross and candlesticks executed by Stone:

We're fortunate to have an original photo of the ciborium showing the wonderful detail work:

An undated newspaper clipping chronicling a visit to Germer's New Hampshire home and workshop adds a lot of information:

"The workshop...is located in the old fashioned farmhouse which he bought and reconditioned 10 years ago. He lives there by himself. The death of his wife, for years an invalid, last year, left him quite alone..."

"He turns out one or two pieces a year, sometimes not so many, for his work is among the most painstaking crafts in the world. Altar crosses, silver gilt in chased repoussé. A silver gilt bishop's staff, designed by Cram and Ferguson, ciboriums and monstrances, censor boats and sanctuary lamps, chalices and Bible-boards, exquisitely wrought of pure gold, inlaid with ivory, studded with precious jewels and intricately filigreed, these are the handiwork of New Hampshire's silversmith... Germer's work is by no means confined to silver. With gold, bronze and other metals he is equally proficient."

"Besides the religious articles which are his chief works, he does plaques, bronze and otherwise, for universities, societies and other organizations such as are used to mark scenes of important historical events, bear honor rolls, etc....occasionally he does human heads, in profile or full face, for wealthy art connoisseurs who regard this sort of work as finer than the finest portraiture or sculpting. For his own amusement he sometimes does animals, the head of a dog which particularly pleases him, or one of the wild birds which he makes a ritual of feeding and taming each winter."

"In 1893, anxious to see the world and make his fortune -- for silversmithing was not then, in Europe, a remunerative occupation -- he came to America. He got a job immediately with the great New York jewelry firm of Tiffany, and was with them for years. Later he was with famous jewelers in Boston and Philadelphia."

"Ten years ago he had trouble with his eyes, and feared blindness. Physicians advised a complete rest, and Mr. Germer was financially able to follow their advice. He selected southern New Hampshire as the ideal resting place, and after diligent search found the place that suited him. He bought the old farmhouse, remodeled it to suit his tastes, and he and his wife moved in."

"Some of the highlights in his career as a craftsman which Mr. Germer likes to remember include his invitation in 1915 by the American Federation of Arts to exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D. C. He sent a large silver offertory plate which was later purchased for the Detroit Museum of Art."

(You can see this Detroit Museum silver alms basin -- along with an amazing pierced Mary Knight plate -- here: Bulletin of Detroit Institute of Art And there is a nice photo of the MFA's jeweled Germer pectoral cross

"In 1916 his exhibits at the Art Institute in Chicago won him a cash prize as did his exhibitions at the Albright Art Gallery in Buffalo in 1919. In 1927 he received the medal from the Society of Arts and Crafts at Boston and in 1930 a similar award at the Boston Tercentenary Art Exhibition. He has invitations now to participate in a number of exhibitions scheduled for 1933 and will probably send a few of his pieces."

"Since the death of his wife a year ago Mr. Germer has lived alone. He makes occasional trips to New York and Boston. At home he reads extensively, from his own splendid library of German and English classics and moderns, plays the violin to himself and takes long walks about the beautiful countryside in the vicinity of his home."