Alexander Ritchie is renown for his Celtic Style Iona Silver items. The earliest items can be found from the 1900’s and most bear the double mark of AR IONA. His work was also submitted by Cornelius Saunders and Francis Shepherd and this work has the extra mark of CS & FS or CS*FS. This work is usually prior to 1910.From 1910, Alexander Ritchie’s own mark was registered with the Chester assay office. These items usually have the AR stamped a second time. Alexander Ritchie also produced silver with the Glasgow Office between 1911 and the early 1930’s but this office was closed in 1964 so the details are not so easy to establish. The AR is often incorporated into two circles adjoining each other.Another early mark favoured by Ritchie was the ‘hour glass’ or ‘spectacles’ mark, consisting of two adjoining circles containing the letters AR.
The Ritchies established their own trading stamp of ICA or Iona Celtic Art around 1931. Alexander Ritchie died in 1941 but the company went on and subsequently became the CAI (Celtic Art Industries) in 1945, the mark being HHI IONA for Highland Homes Industries, run by Hannah MacCormick.
Alexander Ritchie Maker’s Mark
This silver-mounted dressing table clock is marked AR, IONA and has Chester Hallmarks for 1910.
It sold for £ 701 inc. premium at Bonham’s
This pair of spoons were made by Alexander Ritchie in 1929. They have the Glasgow assay mark and the AR IONA mark.
They were sold in their case at Christie’s for GBP 180 in 2005
