About this Piece
A pewter/stainless steel mechanical pocket watch, with a design inspired by the iconic artwork of the Book of Kells.
History of the Book of Kells
Its name comes from the Abbey of Kells in County Meath, though it was originally produced on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. Today it resides at Trinity College, Dublin.
About the Maker
In 1974, Paddy Collins revived the ancient craft of pewter manufacturing in Ireland, establishing his workshop in Mullingar, County Westmeath. Pewter has existed since ancient Egyptian and Roman times (as an alloy of tin mixed mainly with copper and antimony), and came to Ireland 800 years ago, becoming fashionable among the wealthy and for ceremonial purposes. Mullingar Pewter combines traditional handcrafted techniques that take many years to perfect, along with modern advances (modern pewter no longer contains lead, for instance), producing wonderful heritage gifts.