Henry George Murphy

Henry (Harry) George Murphy was a silversmith, jeweller and teacher of metal work and enamelling.

Born at Birchington-on-Sea, Kent. He studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts where he was a pupil of Henry Wilson. Murphy then studied briefly under Emil Lettré in Berlin. In 1913 he established his own workshop in London. From 1907, alongside running his own workshop, Murphy taught at the Royal College of Art and later at the Central School. In 1928 he opened the Falcon Studio, running a large workshop and retail outlet. In 1932 he became head of Silversmithing at the Central School and four years later was made Principal. He died in 1939.

In April 2005, the Goldsmiths’ Company successfully held the exhibition “At the Sign of the Falcon: H.G. Murphy – Art Deco Silversmith and Jeweller,” at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London. Published to coincide with the exhibition, the book by Paul Atterbury and John Benjamin 'The Jewellery and Silver of H.G. Murphy: Arts and Crafts to Art Deco.'