Back in October 2013 one of our customers Stefan Tooke was commissioned to make a new crosier for the Bishop of Sheffield Steven Croft. A crosier is a ceremonial staff used by the Bishop, the Bishops current crosier is over 100 years old and is not allowed to leave Sheffield cathedral.
Not only will the new crosier be able to be used in ceremonies in other parishes, but the piece jointly celebrates the centenary of Harry Brearley’s discovery of stainless steel in 2013 and the centenary of the Sheffield Cathedral which was elevated from parish church status when the new diocese was created in 1914.
The steel plate and tube used in the crosier was laser cut by Charles Day Steels sister company, The Laser Cutting Co.
Stefan Tooke said of the work done by The Laser Cutting Co:
Thanks for giving me such a good rate for cutting the tube and plate for the Bishop of Sheffield’s new Crosier. It was very much appreciated.
The commission for the new crosier was organised by a competition from Sheffield Hallam University. The brief included using silver supplied by the Sheffield Assay Office. Stefan Tooke and Nick Palmer won the competition and their design included stainless steel, silver, gold plated silver and wood.
The Bishop said of the new crosier:
I’m grateful to Hallam and the two designers who created this wonderful piece. I wanted something that captures Sheffield’s industrial heritage, and it fits that brief perfectly.
Laser Cut Plate Crook
The crook at the top of the crosier is made entirely from stainless steel, and is engraved with Psalms 95.1 and 95.7.
Underneath the silver crucible, the shaft of the staff features a laser-cut steel tube with blue detail which symbolises Sheffield’s rivers.
The Laser Cutting Co.
The Laser Cutting Co. specialises in tube laser cutting and sheet metal laser cutting. They work closely with customers to not only ensure quality and reliability but also to help customers make improvements to their designs, which help fabrication and production processes further down the line. To see if The Laser Cutting Co. can help you visit: www.lasercutting.co.uk
The project was made possible by many organisations including Sheffield Hallam University, the Assay Office, and the Laser Cutting Company.
This story was also covered by:
Sheffield Hallam University
http://www.shu.ac.uk/mediacentre/metalwork-graduates-present-bishops-new-crosier
Stefan Tooke Silverware
http://www.stefantookesilverware.co.uk/news-and-exhibitions/
Credit to Nigel Barker for the photos.
