Rachel King works at the British Museum where she is Curator of Renaissance Europe & the Waddesdon Bequest in the department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory. Rachel is responsible for ceramics, glass, metalwork and a number of other collections (i.e.. ivories etc) made in Europe or elsewhere under European influence in the period roughly 1500-1700.
Rachel previously worked at a number of other institutions in Britain and Germany, mostly focussing on collections of decorative and applied arts, or world cultures. In recent years, she has become especially interested in English goldsmiths’ work, particularly enamelled pieces. This has grown from my professional curatorial involvement in the Treasure Process administered by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. She is also very interested in text-bearing objects, and speaking objects, as well as materials, objects and the expression of faith.
Rachel studied languages (MA Cantab) followed by specialising in design and the decorative arts (MA V&A) and completed a PhD contextualising early-modern objects made of amber. She has published widely ranging from objects in amber and obsidian, to silver drinking vessels, moulded ceramics, and prayer beads.
