Thomas Heming

Thomas Heming was apprenticed to the Huguenot silversmith Peter Archambo, a key figure in introducing the Rococo style to England. Heming registered his first maker’s mark in 1745 and began trading the following year from his shop in Bond Street, London.

In 1760, with the support of his principal patron, Lord Bute, Heming was appointed Principal Goldsmith to King George III—a position he held until 1782. One of his most significant commissions was the Coronation service for George III in 1761, the largest royal silver commission in decades. His other notable works include a silver-gilt toilette service for Queen Caroline Matilda of Denmark in 1766 and numerous pieces of tableware, many of which remain in the Royal Collection. His designs, often reflecting the influence of his master Archambo, revitalised Rococo silver in England with their fluid forms and elaborate ornamentation.

Heming retired in 1783, passing the business to his son George and later generations of the family, who continued to receive royal commissions. While the original firm ceased trading in the 19th century, the name Thomas Heming was revived as a jewellery business in London’s Piccadilly Arcade, Mayfair, specialising in fine jewellery rather than silver.