POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Black opal ring by Rhoda Wager

Object No. 2013/113/4

This ring set with an Australian black opal is part of the Elizabeth and Graham Cocks collection of Rhoda Wager and Dorothy Wager (later Judge) jewellery. It was made by the noted Sydney jeweller Rhoda Wager in 1938 for the 50th anniversary exhibition of the English Arts and Crafts Society at Burlington House in London where Wager exhibited with other members of the Society of Arts and Crafts of New South Wales. It is a wonderful example of Wager's later work in the continuing Arts and Crafts tradition. Rhoda Wager was born in 1875 in London. She studied design and art at the Bristol School of Art and the Glasgow Schools of Art, one of the most progressive design schools in Britain. She briefly attended the School of Metalwork in Bournville, Birmingham run by the silversmith Bernard Cuzner, a noted exponent of the English Arts and Crafts Movement. Wager had a metalwork and jewellery studio in Glasgow and privately tutored jewellery students before migrating to Fiji in 1913 to join her brother on his sugar plantation. Rhoda Wager moved to Australia in 1916 and established a jewellery workshop in Sydney at 13 Rowe Street - the street was a hub of artists, designers and makers - where she remained until 1922. She relocated her business several times, occupying premises at Castlereagh Street, Pitt Street and Martin Place before settling in the 1930s at the State Shopping Block. In 1920 she married Percival George Ashton, son of Australian artist Julian Ashton, but continued to work under her maiden name. Wager's repertoire included belt buckles, brooches, rings, bracelets, spoons and pendants which she often personalised for individual clients. Wager's work shows great respect for the beauty of the natural stones which she carefully selected and mounted in delicate open silver frames that allow light to enliven the stone. Wager promoted her work through the fashionable Sydney Ure Smith publications, 'Art and Australia' and 'The Home', and exhibited with Arts and Crafts Societies in New South Wales and other states and also in London. Her work was admired and emulated by other jewellers. Contrary to popular belief however, she never used Australian motifs and her signature setting was that of a vine-and-leaf motif intertwined with tiny berries and round flower heads. Wager's favourite stones were Australian opals which had been commercially reintroduced in New South Wales in the early 1910s. Wager shared her distinctive style with her niece Dorothy Wager whom she trained and who made some of the jewellery designed and marked by Rhoda. Dorothy remained with her aunt until 1939 when she opened her own workshop in King Street. In 1946, Rhoda Wager retired to Brisbane where she died in 1953. During her career she produced some twelve thousand pieces of jewellery. Eva Czernis-Ryl, Curator, and Rebecca Evans, Assistant Curator, 2013 References: Schofield A. and Fahy K., 'Australian Jewellery: 19th and Early 20th Century', David Ell Press Ltd, 1990 Cavill K, Cocks G. and Grace J., 'Australian Jewellers: gold and silversmiths, makers and marks', C.G.C Gold Pty Limited, 1992 Czernis-Ryl, E., and Cavill, K, 'Brilliant . Australian gold and silver 1851-1950', Powerhouse Publishing, 2011, pp 68-72