Kevin Coates A Hidden Alchemy. Goldsmithing: Jewels and Table-Pieces

Hidden Alchemy is the first comprehensive publication on the work of Kevin Coates. Known to many as Britain's 'archimagus' of goldsmithing, he has created tableware and art jewellery for almost four decades, working as far out of the limelight as possible

Be they Mozart, Italian commedia dell'arte, Shakespeare, Greek mythology or the axioms and theorems of geometry - the sources the British goldsmith Kevin Coates draws on are so diverse that it is no wonder he is often dubbed the `British Leonardo' in the UK press. At a far remove from all short-lived fashion trends, he has been employing consummate artistry to create art jewellery and tableware of superlative quality for nearly four decades, using a wealth of different materials. Gold and precious stones, it goes without saying, are favourite materials but he also works with glass, eggshells and even feathers. Pieces by Kevin Coates are owned by major public and private collections worldwide and are featured at 10 Downing Street, the residence of the UK prime minister. ARNOLDSCHE Art Publishers have just released the first comprehensive study of Kevin Coates and his work in their series of distinguished monographs.

Sumptuous colour photographs in large formats convey a visual impression of Coates's stunning technical skills and his sensitivity to detail while jewellery experts Elizabeth Goring and Helen Clifford provide a thoroughly grounded introduction to Coates's jewellery and tableware in scholarly essays. Nel Romano, Kevin Coates's wife, reveals an entirely personal approach to the artist's work and working methods in her essay on the Birthday Jewels - pieces of jewellery made for her birthdays, which by now form a series. Kevin Coates himself has contributed a text on the geometry underlying his works - a field which fascinated him even before he wrote his doctoral dissertation on the use of mathematics and geometry in musical instrument design. A trained musician, Kevin Coates is also entertaining on his special relationship with Mozart and how this is distilled into such works as Die Zauberflöte oder Wolfgang's Starling. His series Fragments, An Alphabet of Rings and A Notebook of Pins are also extensively covered in the monograph, which includes a complete illustrated and annotated catalogue of works.

The first comprehensive survey of this extraordinary goldsmith's unique work. Dazzling illustrations in large formats of selected objects, knowledgeable and highly readable essays by experts on jewellery as well as a complete annotated and illustrated catalogue of works make this new publication from the ARNOLDSCHE art jewellery series a must for all lovers of auteur jewellery and tableware.