s Ivory and Silver Jewel Casket by Katherine Mangie, Hull, c.1685-1697 - Hull Museums Collections

Ivory and Silver Jewel Casket by Katherine Mangie, Hull, c.1685-1697

Katherine Mangie was quite unusual in being a woman silversmith in this period. Her husband Edward Mangie was a silversmith too. When he died in 1685, Katherine became the boss of Edward’s workshop. We don’t know if she actually made the silver herself or was just in charge. Katherine must have been very proud of this box. It is stamped seven times with her special maker’s mark, ‘KM’. Edward Mangie took over the Hull workshop of goldsmith Robert Robinson who died in 1660. In 1661 Edward travelled back to York and married Katherine Spalding. Katherine must have been a strong and sad woman. During her marriage to Edward they had many children that died in infancy, including triplets in 1658. A son did survive, also called Edward but he was only 12 when his father died in 1685. When Edward Mangie died his wife Katherine carried on the business and had her own maker’s mark of ‘K.M.’ The Mangies remained in business in Church Lane until the 1730s but after 1697 very few pieces by them are known. Katherine Mangie died in 1725 at the age of 88. Her son Edward continued to trade as a goldsmith at the Church Lane. He probably retired then and in 1739 he died. He wasrecorded as being a ‘gentleman’. This meant he lived in financial security and no longer had to work for a living.