Pure Brilliance: The Boodles Story Opening 22 October 2022

21 Sep 2022

The Boodles Story will open at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, Wirral on 22 October 2022 and will run during the gallery’s 100th anniversary year, until 5 March 2023. 

It was a real honour when Sir David Henshaw (Chair, National Museums Liverpool) invited Boodles to be part of the Lady Lever Art Gallery’s 100th anniversary year. The exhibition will showcase Boodles’ 225-year story and demonstrate how Liverpool has helped shape its growth, from much-loved family jeweller to purveyors of some of the most stunning jewels in the world.

Visitors are invited to see how the heritage of Liverpool’s vibrant and creative jewellery industry in the late 19th century created a market for quality jewellery and metalwork, for which Boodles soon acquired a reputation. Stunning pieces of historic jewellery from Liverpool makers and racing trophies made by Boodles will illustrate the early years of the firm. The company’s rise from city jeweller to the pinnacle of high-end design and manufacture will be shown through the dazzling and contemporary jewellery on display. 

Rebecca Hawkins Boodles Head of Design says, 

"The design is inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite paintings found in the central hall of the gallery. The motifs between the stones are inspired by the architecture of the gallery itself, in particular the detailing on the glass in the dome."

Alyson Pollard, Head of the Lady Lever Art Gallery says,

“Each jewellery piece is really a unique work of art. As a celebration of beauty, the exhibition features examples of work by 19th century Liverpool jewellery makers as well as jewellery by Boodles. The exhibition will show how this Liverpool family firm, previously known for many years as Boodle and Dunthorne, became a leading British brand. The jewellery on display will be luxurious and the intricacies of jewellery design and manufacture can be explored”.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see the story behind the jewellery from the sourcing of precious stones and metals through to the design and the manufacture of the pieces. As well as seeing how the Boodles brand was created and venture into the glamourous world of high-end jewellery. It’s an opportunity to get close to some of the most imaginative and luxurious jewellery in the world, created by a family firm which still has its head office in Liverpool today.

James Amos, Director at Boodles, says, 

“It can take many of hours of craftsmanship to make just one piece. The ‘Just Beyond the Setting Sun’ cuff, for example, which was designed in our Liverpool Head Office, took over 400 hours of work to make at the craftsman’s bench.”

The skill, creativity, and craftsmanship of the jewellery on display is of the highest quality, something which resonates with the craftsmanship shown in the collections of the Lady Lever Art Gallery, which celebrates its 100-year anniversary in December 2022. 

Pure Brilliance: The Boodles story is not a ticketed exhibition. Instead, visitors are asked to pay what they think is appropriate, with all contributions supporting National Museums Liverpool’s museums and art galleries.

View Boodles

Source: Boodles