I've just discovered that poor Michael died 27th Jan. This man was an irreplaceable storehouse of knowledge of antique silver; until late last year, he was presenting new finds on his YouTube channel with great enthusiasm. What he didn't know about hallmarks, goldsmiths and subtle changes in style wasn't worth knowing. Always absorbing, his presentations were worthy of Sherlock Holmes as he deduced the truth of a piece of silver's origins. A real loss at 51.
