Bernard Instone – Tough Guy Silversmith

Bernard Instone was a noted goldsmith, born in Birmingham, UK in 1891. His interest in jewellery began when he was just seven years old. Perhaps being nurtured by his brother Lewis’ skills as a goldsmith. Who often created fine jewellery for Ladies 

 

 

He began attending the Central School of Art aged 12 in 1903 on a scholarship. Then going on to enjoy two further scholarships, the Kendrick and the Louisa Anne Ryland. During this era, he fine-tuned his silversmithing skills, learning practical silversmithing and jewellery at the Vittoria Street School.

 

Whilst he was at the school, his brother also enjoyed a great deal of success, winning a number of prizes. Bernard made a prize-winning necklace during this period, which can still be viewed at Birmingham Museum.

 

After completing art school he began to work at John Paul Cooper’s Westerham Studio. Thereafter being asked by the Berlin Court goldsmith Emil Lettre to head overseas for more training in Unter-den-Linden. He made a brooch for the King of Bavaria whilst he was in Germany.

 

Unfortunately this era was tinged with tragedy due to his brother dying in an accident during a day trip to Zernsdorf. Bernard returned home soon after in 1913, taking up employment at Vittoria Street, helping out with manual training classes whilst making new pieces. He was soon asked to produce a number of his own commissions.

 

 

 

However, in 1914, he was forced to put his career on hold at the age of 23 due to the Great War. After the war, he founded Langstone silver works in Digbeth.

 

The name was derived by combining his parent’s names. Marrying in 1922 to 18 year old Barbara Margrett, his new wife had made the engagement herself and he presented it to her two years before.

 

They would go on to have three children together. Instone was listed as an Exhibitor in 1929, manufacturing items such as artistic jewellery, silverware and fashion novelties in oxydised silver. Alongside his own Langstone hand-blended enamels.

 

He became a freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1936. Consequently then President of the Birmingham Jewellers’ Association in 1937 and moved up to the Livery of Goldsmiths’ in 1938.

 

The family relocated to Lode Lane in Solihull in 1954. It was at this time  when Bernard Instone decided to commercialise his work. Both of Instone’s sons went on to work for the company. John was employed in a sales capacity and Paul taking on a managerial role.

 

At first, Instone would not pay his son’s with a wage, instead preferring to buy items for them as and when they needed them. He bought two shops in Devon and Cornwall.

 

He was left the Cornwall property in the owner’s will before being forced to hand it over to his daughter. These shops sold paintings and jewellery. When his two sons fell out, Instone offered the property in Salcombe to his son John. Paul took over the business in 1963 when Instone retired.

 

Instone was a tough man who did not take dissent lightly. He took little nonsense from either of his sons. Consequently  often challenging them to physical brawls. Bernard Instone was a physically fit man, whose health only really started to fail when he reached his ninth decade. He died in 1987 from bronchopneumonia.