RICHARD KELL (BRITISH 1958-)
FOUR BOXES
each signed and numbered in pencil, blackwood with boxwood lined interior
each 14.7cm high (5 ¾in high) (4)
Purchased from the maker by the present owner.
ENGINEERING CRAFTSince January 1983, when he began working as a craftsman, Richard Kell has honed his skill and developed a signature style that established him as one of the finest and most talented makers in Britain. He is celebrated not only for the creation of unique honing guides for woodworkers, but also for his wide range of objects that span from large and commanding sun dials to delicate and intricately carved boxes that require carefully considered and well-engineered construction. Meticulous design and high workshop standards are at the core of all his work. Kell’s early formation into life as a craftsman began at home in his father’s workshop where he would read magazines on woodworking and model engineering. He notes that one particular catalyst that stirred his interest was an article on David Pye in the Craft Council Magazine from around 1979-80, which stressed the importance of design when constructing an object. This interest was nourished at school and then Kell undertook a five-year apprenticeship at Hardys of Alnwick, followed by four years in their Design and Development Department. This training set him up for immediate success when he was awarded with a grant from the Craft Council in 1982, which he refers to as ‘a wonderful vote of confidence’.  We are delighted to be offering this rare collection of early works by Kell that demonstrate his passion for craftmanship, and his capacity to carve out highly-detailed forms on the most miniature scale retaining an elegance and confidence in their presentation. He began his career creating these containers for institutions such as Prescote Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum Craft Shop, and Contemporary Applied Arts in the early 1980s, and this private single-owner collection (lots 365 to 375) attests to his capacity to connect with his audience through the intimacy that is expressed in the materiality of his work. Jewellery boxes are intrinsically personal objects and Kell’s mastery over his technique allows him to create elegant and engaging works that draw on this connection between an object and its user. The way in which Kell consciously chooses different types of wood for the outer box and the inner layers further add to this modest elegance and prove an exciting discovery for the user. During the later 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Kell developed and produced many innovative tools for craftsmen, securing his legacy as a true authority of his craft and allowing him to share his knowledge and skills with his communities. The 2000s saw Kell receive numerous important commissions including a group of six kinetic sculptures for David Linley’s showroom in London in 2001, and a sundial for the Crathes Estate in Aberdeenshire in 2005. His work, and in particular his earlier pieces, are highly coveted today and testify to the successful career that lay before him.