Metalsmith, silversmith and jeweller was born in London and trained at Sir John Cass Institute. Arthur Cross contracted tuberculosis and immigrated to Western Australia for his health.
He had met J. W. R. Linton when the latter was studying at 'The Cass’ in 1908. Cross was technically proficient, having won a travelling scholarship and the City and Guilds Medal while a student. He came out to be Linton’s partner in making silverware and jewellery. Linton continued to teach and Cross was the main fabricator. He arrived in May 1910 and lived with the Lintons. The first Linton and Cross exhibition was held in the Theosophical Society rooms in December 1910. Sixty-three items of metalwork and fourteen watercolours were exhibited.
In 1911 they exhibited with the West Australian Society of Arts. This time there were eleven jewels, enamelled landscapes, copper boxes featuring rivets and enamel, a jarrah and silver paper knife and spoons. Cross also exhibited in the “Black & White” section. They exhibited spoons, buttons, jewels, enamels and illustrations with the West Australian Society of Arts in 1913.
Their last exhibition “Pictures and Craftwork” was held in Viking House in December 1913 when ten oil paintings, thirty-two watercolours and forty-seven metal exhibits consisting of enamelled jewels, copper and silver, jewellery and boxes and spoons were on display.
The work made while Cross was alive included necklaces, pendants, brooches, hat pins, a box or two, spoons and small sculptures. Quite a large proportion was jewellery and, according to Linton’s younger son John, most of the Linton jewellery was made at this time. One of the earliest was a necklace made for the Moore family which bears the mark of Linton and Cross “JWRL&AC”. This is silver, set with Ceylon sapphires and pearls ornamented with touches of gold. The style is very much that of the Birmingham Craft Revival jewellers. A more interesting piece is the one the family refer to as “The Peacock” with opal and carbuncles. The peacock was a familiar motif from the Aesthetic period through to Art Nouveau and as such was featured by a number of jewellers. This is one of the best from the English tradition surpassing that of the Englishman C. R. Ashbee which it is probably a play upon. The design is most likely to be Linton’s and the fabrication Cross’s.
Unfortunately the drier climate was not able to prolong Cross’s life and he died of tuberculosis in 1917.
- Writers:
- Dr Dorothy Erickson
- Date written:
- 2010
- Last updated:
- 2011
