Dublin silversmith has ‘lifetime's work' stolen from studio during break-in
HEARTLESS THEFT |
Séamus Gill and has had his work displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland, said his studio was 'robbed of everything' he had inside.
Silversmith Seámus Gill said decades of work have been taken from his Dublin studio, including original jewellery, "one of a kind legacy pieces, prototypes, and the full creative development of my upcoming collection". Photo: Seámus Gill.
Séamus Gill, who presented the late Pope Francis with a bespoke cruet set during his 2018 visit to Ireland, and has had his work displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland, said his studio was 'robbed of everything' he had inside.
He said irreplaceable original and one-off pieces of jewellery and design work were all stolen in the incident, amounting to decades worth of the award-winning silversmith's work.
His studio in Dublin was broken into during the Easter weekend, with silver pieces he has been working on 'over a few years' all taken during the burglary.
'It's with a very heavy heart that I share some devastating news – my studio has been broken into over the Easter (weekend)," he said in a statement shared to Instagram this morning.
"Decades of work have been taken: original jewellery, including one of a kind legacy pieces, prototypes, and the full creative development of my upcoming collection. This is more than a theft – it's the loss of a lifetime's creative journey,' he said.
Mr Gill said the pieces were both of "deep personal significance' and 'part of Ireland's contemporary design and craft story – irreplaceable works that represent years of exploration, learning, and craft.'
He added: "I'm appealing to anyone who might have seen or heard or know anything — no matter how small — to please come forward.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by SÉAMUS GILL (@seamusgillsilversmith)
"Your information could help recover these works and bring some light back into what has been an incredibly dark time. I would appreciate people sharing this to their networks. Please contact the Gardaí at Pearse Street.'
Mr Gill said the support he has been given since the incident 'means the world right now'.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland , Mr Gill said his studio was 'robbed of everything that I had in it' last weekend.
"I'm a silversmith so I had a number of finished pieces like candlesticks, vases, bowls, beakers, but another aspect of my work is that I make jewellery, it's silversmithing work on a smaller scale, so all my stock was taken.'
Mr Gill said many of his works in progress were also stolen, adding: 'Because of the nature of silversmithing, it takes time to make pieces and develop them so some pieces I would be working on over a few years. They were all taken, things like a new jewellery collection that I was making.
"I had all the development, the prototypes, the sketch models, that was taken. A number of legacy pieces that I would have. for every jewellery collection that I would make, I'd make an original piece with the original hallmarks and the date letter in it. That was all taken, so work over the last 40 years.'
The silversmith said he is 'grateful' that a silver tea service set he made is currently on temporary exhibition at the National Museum.
"At least they didn't get that.'
He created a cruet set, which holds water and wine when it is brought to the altar, for the late Pope Francis when he visited Ireland on his papal visit in 2018.
"The Pope was a very humble man, and he didn't have many worldly goods, so when he came to Ireland, I was dealing with the Vatican and they knew he didn't have his own cruet set, so I made the cruet set that was presented to him when he came here."
Asked how he plans to replace what was stolen, Mr Gill said: 'Well, it can't be. I mean, this is a lot of one-off pieces, it's a cultural legacy as well as my work, my lifetime's work, but – sorry, I have to be careful, I keep breaking down – I suppose I would like to appeal to people out there that if anyone sees anything or if anyone is aware of anything, all the work is silver which is unusual.
"There aren't many silversmiths left. All of it is hallmarked, it has an identifiable signature, and it carries the Irish hallmark.'
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Live News The Binge Crimes: Lady Mafia is out now on all podcast providers
