The Remarkable Life & Career of Henry George Murphy, Designer, Goldsmith and Silversmith
with jewellery historian John Benjamin
- This event is in the past
- Talk: 19:00 - 20:00; Q&A: 20:00 - 20:10
- Tickets for our 2025 digital programme operate on a 'pay what you can' donation model.
Please click 'Book Now' below for more information on the different donation options available for this event. - Please be aware that this online event will not be recorded and can therefore only be watched live, at the time stated above.
- Adults
Booking for this event will close at 12:00pm GMT on Wednesday 8 December 2025. This is a digital event facilitated by Zoom. Your link to access this digital event will be sent the day before the event. Please note your ticket is for the device on which you watch the event regardless of the number of people watching on that device (for example, if two people are watching from the same device in the same room, you only need one ticket).
Join jewellery historian John Benjamin for this exciting exploration into the life and career of Henry George Murphy (1884-1939).
Harry Murphy died just before the War and was largely forgotten until John was asked to examine a shoe box containing an exceptional collection of jewellery made by Murphy at The Falcon Studio, his retail premises located in Marylebone. In this digital event, John will share Murphy's remarkable story.
In 1924, Murphy created a full set of miniature Crown Jewels to be included in the Crown Jewels displayed in Queen Mary's Dolls' House, now on display at Windsor Castle. The set included a tiny copy of the Imperial State Crown, Queen Mary's Crown and a pair of sceptres and orbs which remain on display today, in Queen Mary's Dolls' House at Windsor Castle.
About our speaker
John Benjamin began his career at Cameo Corner, an antique jewellery shop located 50 yards from the gates of the British Museum. After gaining the Fellowship of the Gemmological Association and the Association’s Diamond Diploma he joined Phillips Fine Art Auctioneers where he stayed for the next 23 years, ultimately becoming their International Director of Jewellery. He set up his own independent jewellery consultancy in 1999 and is an established international lecturer on a wide range of topics including Antique Jewellery, Diamonds and Faberge.
John is a Founder Liveryman and Court Assistant of The Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars. A Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and a Freeman of the City of London he is author of Starting to Collect Antique Jewellery and co-author with Paul Atterbury of Arts and Crafts to Art Deco; The Jewellery and Silver of H.G.Murphy. A Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries he is well known from his regular appearances over 30 years on BBC Television’s ever-popular Antiques Roadshow. He was appointed The National Trust’s Honorary Jewellery Adviser in 2021 and is currently in the process of curating the Trust’s entire collection of jewellery and Faberge.
