Biographical Details
Jolyon Warwick James grew up in St John's Wood north London and later in Sussex with the family home being in Cornwall. He is postgraduate educated with a London University degree, after school at Marlborough, Wiltshire. Subsequently taking residence in Australia he lives in Sydney where he privately operates professionally.
For 45 years Jolyon Warwick James has acted as a professional consultant developing an extensive specialised knowledge and qualifications as a lecturer, valuer (appraiser) and adviser with respect to English European Colonial and other silver. He is recognised internationally through his articles, lectures and personal representations. He works with museums, auction houses, Government bodies, commercial enterprises, collectors and educational organisations both within Australia and overseas.
Jolyon Warwick James's work as a silver consultant requires him to travel regularly overseas undertaking study tours, lectures and other commissions. He does this with much energy and professional enthusiasm. He has also made the pursuit for knowledge and the understanding of all matters relating to the noble metal into a pleasure to be shared with others.
Accreditations and Professional Memberships Include:
Academic Qualifications
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LAPADA, first joined 1985.
Member of CINOA (Confederation Internationale Des Negociants en Oeuvre D'Art) – Board member, 2009 - 2015.
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Current Professional Appointments
LAPADA, first joined 1985.
Member of CINOA (Confederation Internationale Des Negociants en Oeuvre D'Art) – Board member, 2009 - 2015.
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Current Australian Government Accreditations
Appointed Australian Government Expert Examiner under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act, since 1993.
Approved to value Silver under the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program (formerly Tax Incentives for the Arts), since 1988.
Member of the Australian Customs Panel (NSW) for the verification of Antiques.
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Other appointments in Australia, current & previous
Current member of The Silver Society of Australia and President from 1990-94, 1996-99 and 2021-2024.
Honorary Associate of the Powerhouse Museum Sydney since 1997.
Member of the Chancellors Committee of the University of Sydney, since 1995.
Past President of the Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association, NSW Chapter 2004 – 2013.
Past member of the Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association - and President 2013 – 2015.
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Other Appointments Overseas, current & present
Member of The Silver Society (London) since 1983.
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Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and The City of London since 1989.
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Lecturer National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) UK 2000 – 2010.
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Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries since 2015.
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Selected Publications
Irish Rococo Silver. The Australian Connoisseur and Collector, 1982, Australia
No Hope for Harley- but who was WH? The Australian Antique Collector, June 1983, Australia. (research into mis-ascription, William Hope of Exeter’s mark to Walter Harley)
Australian Silver – The Origins. The Australian Antique Collector, July 1984, Australia (research of a specific early piece of unidentified Australian silver – the Collins Castor)
Australian Silver. The Antique Collector, May 1985, UK. (a model of Australian silver)
Silver Tales – The Eton Plate. Australian Collectors Quarterly, May 1991, Australia. (review of Exhibition at Sotheby’s’ London)
The Collins Castor: a Tasmanian survivor. The Silver Society Journal, winter 1991, UK. (revisiting earlier work on a item of Australian silver)
Treasures from the Kremlin. Australian Collectors Annual, 1991-1992, Australia. (review of Exhibition, Sotheby’s, London)
The Nettleship Cup. Australiana, February 1997, Australia (Research into a New Zealand mounted Emu egg Cup).
Silver in the Museum of Fine Arts. Boston. Carter’s Homes Antiques and Collectables, April 1997, Australia..
Silver in the Wellington Museum. Carter’s Homes Antiques and Collectables, April/May 1998, Australia.
New Zealand Silver In Wellington. Silver Magazine, July 1998, USA. (review of an exhibition)
Heritage Regained: silver from the Gilbert Collection. Carter’s Homes Antiques and Collectables, August/September 1998, Australia..
A History Lesson from the new world. Antiques Trade Gazette, 7th July 2001, U.K. (Observations on the proposed “Kent Bill” legislation in UK).
Waddesdon Manor – silver splendour. Silver Magazine, July/August 2002, U.S.A..
A European Heritage: C19th silver in Australia. The Silver Society Journal, Nov 15, 2003, U.K.(Examining the mannerist influence on 19th century Australian Silver)
The Schatzkammer and the Antipode. Australiana, March 2004, Australia. (Examining the mannerist influence on 19th century Australian Silver)
A Multicultural Ewer. Silver Journal of Australia, Number 1, 2005, Australia. (examination of English Ewer with Australian connections)
Pre-1820 Silversmiths and allied tradesmen in Australia. Australiana, Nov 2011, Australia (list of capable silver and metal workers)
Artists Resale Royalties adapted and adopted in Australia. Antiques Trade Gazette, October 2012, UK.
An early Australian Silver gift – its authenticity and context. Australiana, May 2016 (an Australian silver child christening spoon or gift)
Set at each trencher plate a knife, a spoone, and silver forke…. Finial, vol 28/03, Jan/Feb 2018,UK, (evidence of the early provision of table silver)
Masked intentions? Finial vol 29/05 May/June 2019, UK. (a re-handled spoon with marked additions)
Australian goldsmiths’ and Silversmiths’ marks: the records of the Australian Assay Office. Australiana, August 2019, vol 41, no 3.
The Brief History of Australian Hallmarking. Antiques Trade Gazette, 31st September 2019. UK
An Australian Story of four fake Hester Bateman Wine Labels. Co-authored with Tony Lewis, The Wine Label Circle Journal, Autumn 2019, volume 14, number 5, UK
Hallmarking Silver in Australia, a Brief Attempt at Control. Silver Studies, the Journal of the Silver Society (number 17, 2021)
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The Handbook of Silver. A manual of notes and resource material, regularly updated.
Australian Gold and Silversmiths Marks - from the records of the Sydney Hall Mark Co and the Commonwealth of Australia Hall Mark Co, 1923 to 1928, by Jolyon Warwick James. Published hard cover reference work, ISBN 978-0-646-99639-4
Selected Lectures & Media Presentations
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The Silver from Christchurch, Oxford. Lecture to accompany a loan exhibition from the Oxford University College at Robert McDougall Art Gallery,
Christchurch, New Zealand November 2000.
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A European Heritage C19th silver in Australia. Lecture to Silver Society, London UK Jan 2003.
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Rococo Silver in England. Lecture to Alresford DFAS, Alresford, UK. January 2004
Fakes and Forgeries in Silver. Cleveland Circle of the Decorative Arts Trust, Ohio, USA May 2005
Silver Skulduggery - fakes and forgeries in Silver. Lectures to BRIDFAS Hamburg and BRIDFAS Osnabruck, Germany, June 2005
BBC Antiques Roadshow. Silver Expert. Television. Sydney and Melbourne, August 2005
Ask The Experts. Silver Expert and Television Host (The History Channel) Sydney April 2006
Silver in the NGV, understanding style and decoration. Seminar at the NGV Melbourne Sept 2006
English Silver and Continental Silver Gilt. Lecture at seminar weekend for "The Herbert and May Shaw bequest - a gracious gift"
Hamilton Art Gallery. Victoria. October 2007
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Huguenot Silver. Lecture to the Huguenot Society of Australia Sydney February 2010
What is it worth to you? Video on NSW Govt Trustee and Guardian website, also a DVD September 2010
Cleaning silver with Jolyon Warwick James. DVD guide to cleaning silver at home 2011
Australian Silver - the Adelaide influence. Lecture ADFAS. Adelaide, April 2014
Event Management and Coordination
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Valuation days. Director of team of experts, advisor on event management and valuer. Sutherland Shire Council (Heritage Festival) April 2006 and 2007. Pittwater Council March 2007 (Seniors Week). Baulkham Hills Shire Council (Bella Vista Farm Park) Sept 2008. NSW Trustee and Guardian (Good Will Week) Sept 2010.
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Ask The Experts. Event inaugurator, co-director and valuer. Joint venture valuation day Australian Antique Dealers Association and Historic Houses Trust April 2006, May 2007, March 2008.
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Annual Kirkoswold Silver Study Day. Organizer and presenter of annual seminar in Sydney since 2007.
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Antiques Radio Show: on 2RPH, 1224 AM and 100.5 FM, Mondays 3.30 pm. It can also be found on podcast apps (Spotify, Tunein, Apple and Google podcasts).
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