Mrs Edith Brearey Dawson
Other names: née Robinson
Born 1862
Died 1928
Active: 1895 - 1919
Country of birth and death: England
Art metalworker, jeweller, watercolourist, medallist
Born in Croydon Surrey. She married the painter and metalworker, Nelson Dawson in 1893. The Dawsons worked together, designing a wide range of metalwork, including church plate, jewellery, light fittings, interior fittings, silverware and wall plaques. Nelson was primarily responsible for designing the metalwork and Edith for the enamelling. In 1900 they exhibited 125 pieces of jewellery at the Fine Art Society, London.
In 1906 Edith Dawson published 'A little book on art: enamel'. The Dawsons greatly reduced their metalworking activities in 1914 when they moved to France. However in 1917 they exhibited a case of commemorative and heraldic plaques in bronze and silver, cloisonné and champlevé enamel as well as The Arms of Trinity College Cambridge in bronze and champlevé enamel at the Royal Academy.
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Plaque
£84
Collaborated on A Casket
Collaborated on A Cup in Hammered Copper and Silver with Translucent Enamel
Collaborated on Girdle Clasp in Wrought Silver and Cloisonné Enamel
Collaborated on Vase in Hammered Copper and Silver
Collaborated on A round Box Lid in Cloisonné Enamel and Beaten Silver
Collaborated on Oblong Box with Cloisonné Enamel
Collaborated on Belt Ornament in gold and translucent enamel
Collaborated on Bowl in silver and translucent enamel - Blue Bells
Collaborated on Bowl in silver and translucent enamel - Corn and Poppies
Collaborated on Beaker, in Silver and Translucent Enamel
Collaborated on A Case of Jewellery
Collaborated on Pair of Candlesticks
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1904
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, Arts & Crafts Exhibition, 1904
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1895 - 1919
Exhibited 8 times, usually one or two works, metalware etc., shown in 1896 and 1917, otherwise exhibited paintings (often flower subjects).
Personal and Professional Connections
Collaborated with Nelson Ethelred Dawson
A plaquette by both artists was illustrated in 'The Studio', vol. XIII (no date given). See Forrer, vol. 1, (1902), p. 362.
Wife/husband/spouse of Nelson Ethelred Dawson
Husband and wife: see Forrer, vol. 1, (1902), p. 362.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed as medallist Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem, and Seal-Engravers, Mint Masters, &c., Ancient and Modern with References to their Works, B.C. 500 - A.D. 1900, Volume I, 1902 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a 'contemporary Chaser in copper and Medallist'. A plaquette by the artist and her husband Nelson Dawson was illustrated in 'The Studio', vol. XIII (no date given). Described as a 'Birmingham Die-sinker of the second quarter of the ninteenth century' who died in c. 1857. Forrer lists a number of medals that were 'issued' by the artist between 1831 and 1852 including 'Return of Thomas Attwood to Birmingham from London' (1832), 'Thomas Clarkson' (undated but illustrated in Forrer), 'Anniversary of the Birmingham Free Grammer School' (1852). Forrer notes that early in the century Davis worked as a gilt toy manufacturer in Great Charles Street, Birmingham, and ran a Die-engravers from 1828. He was well known for his Reform and Anti-slavery Medals and made a set of English Cathederal Medals. Forrer notes that he his described in Franks and Gueber, 'Medallic Illustrations of British History' as 'not a Die-engraver himself, but merely struck medals from dies cut for him'. See Forrer, vol. 1, (1902), p. 362.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Art and Enameller', 'Sculp' has been added between the entries for Edith and Nelson
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Artist Painter'
Sources
Catalogue of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition 1904
1904
Cat. Nos. 624, 625, pp. 40, 127
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1904
1904
Cat. Nos. 684, 685, 686, 693, 695, pp. 66, 67, 68
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 1197 folio 7 page 5
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
Reference RG14PN6928 RG78PN344 RD128 SD5 ED1 SN452
Royal Academy Exhibitors 1905-70: A Dictionary of Artists and their Work in the Summer Exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Arts, Vol. II CAS-D
1977
p. 135 and 136 (latter joint entry with Nelson Dawson)
Citing this record
'Mrs Edith Brearey Dawson', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1203113444, accessed 24 Sep 2023]
