Collection: West Australian Historical

The history of Western Australian silversmithing began with early settlers and grew through the influence of figures like Thomas Habgood and Frederic Glaskin in the mid-19th century, who were among the first to establish the trade. The late 19th and 20th centuries saw both individuals and the development of prominent family workshops, such as the Linton family's business which started in the early 1900s and continued through generations. A comprehensive history is detailed in the book Gold & Silversmithing in Western Australia: A History by Dorothy Erickson, which chronicles the state's silversmiths from the late 1820s to 2000.