A HISTORIC item of jewellery stolen from a museum in Chipping Campden is returning to public display more than a decade after it went missing.
A necklace believed to have been made by the celebrated silversmith, George Hart, has been returned to Court Barn Museum following a tip-off from a member of the public.
The piece, crafted in silver, enamel, and turquoise, is thought to have been designed by CR Ashbee and holds significant local and historical value.
It was originally a gift to a resident of Chipping Campden in 1913, when she was a bridesmaid to her aunt.
In November 2011, more than £200,000 worth of silver and jewellery items were taken after thieves smashed their way into the museum late one night, leaving staff devastated.
Following verification, the necklace has now been returned to the museum’s collection.
Curator Sarah McCormick Healy said: “We are delighted that this piece of Campden’s history has found its way back to the museum in the same state that it was in when it left.
“The provenance of this necklace means a great deal to us. It is more than a piece of exquisite jewellery produced by the Harts – it has a deeply-rooted local connection.”
While it is not definitively known whether the necklace was made specifically for that occasion by George Hart of Hart Silversmiths or was selected from existing stock, its origins are closely tied to the celebrated Arts and Crafts movement in the area.
Hart Silversmiths has been based at the old Silk Mill in Sheep Street since 1902.
George Hart was originally part of CR Ashbee’s famed Guild of Handicraft and moved with the guild from London to Chipping Campden in 1902.
Harts Silversmiths remains active in the town today and retains an archive of design drawings, including an undated design attributed to CR Ashbee that may relate to the recovered piece.
The necklace will go on public display at Court Barn Museum on Sunday, May 17, marking the anniversary of CR Ashbee’s birthday.
Court Barn is an award-winning independent museum in Chipping Campden. It tells the story of how a small rural town became a gathering place for creative industries at the start of the 20th Century and continues to attract designers and makers today.
Highlights include work by architect and designer, CR Ashbee, who established the Guild of Handicrafts, artists FL Griggs and Katharine Adams.
