Elizabeth Godfrey
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Elizabeth Godfrey (active c. 1720–1758) was an English gold- and silversmith. She has been called "the most outstanding woman goldsmith of her generation."[1]
The daughter of Simon Pantin, a renowned silversmith himself, Godfrey was born in London and is believed to have been trained in her father's workshop. Little is known of her career, although she appears to have been successful and to have done a fair amount of work. Her works were known for their high quality and sophisticated style. Godfrey described herself on trade cards as "Goldsmith, Silversmith, and Jeweller, [who] makes and sells all sorts of plates, jewels, and watches, in the newest taste at the most reasonable rates[1]." Her patrons included a number of nobles and their families, most notably the Duke of Cumberland.
Godfrey married twice, both times to successful London silversmiths with whom she shared her business. In 1720 she wed Abraham Buteux. After his death eleven years later, Godfrey began to run the firm on her own. She later married Benjamin Godfrey, who is believed to have been in her employ. He died in 1741, at which point she again began to head the business by herself. Godfrey is last recorded as having been active in 1758.
