Showing posts with label Newbridge Silver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Newbridge Silver. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

90 Years of Impeccable Taste: Celebrating Newbridge Silverware's Enduring Legacy

press release 

90 Years of Impeccable Taste: Celebrating Newbridge Silverware's Enduring Legacy





As Newbridge Silverware marks its 90th anniversary, the iconic Irish brand reflects on a


legacy of elegance, innovation, and craftsmanship. Founded in 1934, Newbridge Silverware


has evolved from its origins as a manufacturer of quality tableware to become one of the


world’s leading lifestyle companies and premier giftware brands.





From its humble beginnings in a former army barracks in Newbridge, Co. Kildare,


Newbridge Silverware has grown to become synonymous with timeless design and


impeccable craftsmanship. Despite the many global challenges and economic booms and


busts of the last century, the company has endured and thrived. This is due to its commitment


to quality, the company’s ability to pivot, and its dynamic and creative approach over the past


nine decades.





Originally focused on producing tableware for stately homes, the hospitality industry, and the


wedding gift market, Newbridge Silverware has expanded its offerings to include a diverse


range of products, including exquisite jewellery collections. Today, the brand is renowned for


its design-led jewellery, homeware, cutlery, and giftware, combining traditional


craftsmanship with contemporary design aesthetics.

Hard at work 1958





Visitors to the Newbridge Silverware Visitor Centre can immerse themselves in the rich


history and heritage of the brand while exploring the captivating world of craftsmanship. The


Visitor Centre features a guided Factory and Craft Tour, providing guests with a behind-the-


scenes look at the intricate process of crafting Newbridge Silverware products. From raw


material to the finished item, each piece undergoes over 40 stages of production, showcasing


the dedication and skill of the craftsmen and women who bring these creations to life.





The company is one of the few remaining indigenous Irish manufacturing businesses still


operating and producing products every day in Ireland. Interestingly, the process of


manufacturing has remained virtually unchanged, and the very same machines that once


fashioned knives and forks that graced the high-end tables of Dublin and London in the 1930s


are still making tableware and jewellery today worn by the world’s most famous celebrities,


models, and movie stars.

One Newbridge exhibition featured Raquel Welch seen here
 in stars and stripes bikini for the film Myra Breckinridge



In 2018, the factory at Newbridge Silverware opened its doors to the public, offering visitors


the chance to see craft coming alive before their very eyes. Over 80,000,000 pieces of


tableware have been made by Newbridge Silverware since 1934, and each item is handled


over 40 times by the craftsmen during the process. The Factory and Craft Tour itself is


extremely interesting, it is part historical, part educational and 100% experiential.





The tour's starting point is in what is known as the ‘dark room,’ where visitors first learn


about the history and formation of the business. Here, visitors are taken on a virtual walk-


through of what was once the Garrison town of Newbridge, with stories of its past and


garrison history laying the foundations for its formation in 1934.





The past, history, and the people who took part in the early years of Newbridge Silverware,


then known as ‘The Newbridge Cutlery Company,’ laid the foundations for what is now one


of Ireland’s most exciting lifestyle brands and is a great example of living heritage.




Stepping out of the darkness and the black room and into the bright and vibrant factory is the


next step on this fascinating tour. Visitors are immediately struck by the machines, all painted


in the iconic ‘Newbridge Blue,’ with the pounding cutting, snipping, and stamping all


creating the soundtrack for craft in motion.

Entrance. Display can change depending on what's going on!





The entertaining guide brings the visitors to view each process and explains what each


craftsperson is doing from shanking to clipping to vibing and soldering. The process and


experience are truly magnificent to behold. Ultimately, the visitor will see the journey one


sheet of material makes from a flat sheet of metal to a glistening, silver-plated premium piece


of cutlery or jewellery.





The Factory and Craft Tour is also very interesting from a historical perspective as it tells


not just the story of Newbridge Silverware but also gives a snapshot of what life was like for


Irish people working and living in times of great financial strain and during huge political


turmoil.

The Beatles' suits





Visitors learn about the company's formation and hear the fascinating story about its


inception. In 1934, a local politician, Senator Cummins, succeeded in raising necessary


funding from the State and prominent businessmen. A portion of the old British Army


barracks was allocated to the business, old furnaces and machinery were renovated, and 25


local craftsmen were retrained as cutlers.





The overall Factory and Craft Tour takes approximately one hour and is a wonderful way to


spend a morning. Guests will often then finish up with a spot of lunch or Afternoon Tea at the


Silver Restaurant offers delectable homemade food all day long.





Newbridge Silverware is, of course, known for silver, and its silver-plated premium products


remain very much in demand all over the world. Through its many innovations and creativity,


the company makes a range that is so diverse that it includes gifting for all occasions,


jewellery, homeware, and even Christmas decorations. In fact, the Christmas decorations are


so beloved and in demand that a permanent Christmas shop remains open at the Lifestyle


Store in Newbridge for 52 weeks of the year.

Di's Indian dress





Cutting-edge design and acclaimed photo shoots with supermodels such as Sophie Dahl,


Yasmin le Bon, and Naomi Campbell also enhanced the company’s brand image. Another


milestone for the company was the opening of the Museum of Style Icons in 2007, which


now houses one of the world’s greatest collections of style, fashion, and popular culture


artefacts. The museum houses fashion collections and property that once belonged to some of


the greatest style icons of all time, such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Princess


Grace, Princess Diana, the Beatles, and even contemporary actresses and fashionistas such as


Kim Kardashian and January Jones of ‘Mad Men’.





The inception of the Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware traces back to a pivotal


moment involving Audrey Hepburn's iconic little black dress from ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’. In


2006, Newbridge Silverware CEO William Doyle, inspired by his wife Monica reading about


an upcoming Christie's auction featuring the dress he wanted to buy. He didn’t end


up buying the dress he originally set out to acquire but did not go away empty handed and


fortuitously bought another Audrey Hepburn dress from the movie, Charade. This decision


marked the beginning of a remarkable collection that would grow to encompass costume and


personal effects belonging to legends of fashion and entertainment.





Since then, the Museum of Style Icons has evolved into a celebrated institution, showcasing a


a wealth of fashion and entertainment history through both permanent and visiting exhibitions.


Collaborating with renowned auction house Julien's Auctions, Newbridge Silverware


regularly hosts some of the world's most famous pieces before they go under the auction


hammer, giving visitors a rare chance to view these iconic items up close.

This decanter is quite a talking point on the table and also a lovely Christmas present!





One of the museum's most memorable exhibitions occurred in 2016, when Marilyn Monroe's


legendary skin and beads dress, worn during her iconic rendition of Happy Birthday, Mr.


President for President John F. Kennedy, made its debut. Drawing thousands of visitors, this


historic garment, on loan from Julien's Auctions, captivated audiences and ultimately sold for


a record-breaking $4.8 million.





Another significant visit to the museum came from the Cobain family, including Francis


Bean, daughter of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, along with his mother, Wendy O'Connor and sister,


Kim Cobain. Their presence added a rock and roll dimension to the museum, allowing fans to


connect with the legendary musician's legacy firsthand.





In 2019, the museum welcomed beloved actress and singer Olivia Newton-John, known for


her role as Sandy in Grease who opened an exhibition dedicated to her unique style.


Featuring some of her famous costumes, including the iconic black leather trousers from the


film, the exhibition delighted fans and provided a glimpse into Newton-John's illustrious


The current exhibition in collaboration with the Irish Costume Archive Project (ICAP)


opened this summer and showcases costumes worn by Irish actors or featured in Irish-made


films, offering a fascinating exploration of Ireland's cinematic heritage and its influence on


costume design. Visitors experience an immersive journey into the rich tapestry of Irish film


and culture at this highly anticipated event.





Over the course of 90 years, Newbridge Silverware has been more than just a workplace—it


has been a place where generations of families have met, marriages have begun, and lifelong


friendships have been formed. Local people still refer to Newbridge Silverware as "The


Cutlery" a place that supported a vibrant and thriving community both within and beyond the


factory walls.





Throughout its history, Newbridge Silverware has been a family affair, with


generations of the same families working at the factory. The Tunney family in particular, has


played a significant role in the company's story, with Tony Tunney, his wife Celine, his


daughter Emma and granddaughter Sarah all contributing their talents and who share a


combined 70 years of service to the business. This family is just one of many whose


dedication and commitment to excellence have helped shape Newbridge Silverware into the


beloved brand it is today.





To commemorate its 90th anniversary, Newbridge Silverware launched special edition


collections and hosted various events throughout the year. From limited-edition designs to


exclusive promotions, there has been and still is many opportunities for customers to join in


the celebration and experience the magic of Newbridge Silverware.





“We are incredibly proud to celebrate 90 years of craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless


design,” said William Doyle, CEO of Newbridge Silverware. “From our beginnings in a


small town in Co. Kildare to becoming a globally recognised brand, our journey has been


filled with passion and an unyielding dedication to craft and design. As we look to the future,


we remain committed to upholding the legacy of Newbridge Silverware and continuing to


inspire generations to come.”





Visit www.visitnewbridgesilverware.com for more information and to explore the full range of products

 and experiences. The Factory and Craft Tour runs Monday – Thurs at 11am and 2pm. Fridays - 11am.

 Tickets are €15 for Adults and €9 for Children under 18. For further information or to book a Factory

 and Craft Tour email tourinfo@newbridgesilverware.ie . 

Admission to the Museum of Style Icons is free and it is open 7 days a week.