O’REILLYS THE DESIGN SALE 26th - 29th October 2022

12 THE DES IGN SALE | Wednesday 26th – Fr iday 28th of October replenish the stock. Such a thing might not even happen nowadays. Her pieces were coveted by all, and the affordable price point meant that wom-an could buy things for themselves, without waiting for Christmas or bir thdays. Marika was instru-mental in that way of bringing timeless pieces to the masses. The pieces were remembered ‘gleam-ing in the window’, giving the everyday Irish woman the purchasing power, igniting a special memory for all who experienced it. She had great respect for all her employees at the workshop, as she herself was a skilled silversmith she had great admiration for others who shared the love for the process of making jewellery, Barry remembers. Giving space for the guys in the workshop to create, Marika had a great love for the entire process that went into her work. From the initial design inspiration to first making the piece in metal, casting from this machete to later go through the hands of the stone setters and polishers and then finally into the shops. It was not Barry’s plan to go into the trade, his brother worked as a goldsmith for Marika, when his brother broke his arm, Barry was told to go around to the workshop on Capel Street on a Friday to collect his brothers’ wages. From this point onwards Barry was hooked! He worked as a caster for Marika for several years.After finding himself working out of the trade several years later, it was Marika that put in a good word with a jewellery manufactures in Rathmines who were looking for a caster. She tracked Barry down and set him up with the job. Marika got him into the trade and helped him get back into the trade once again. Marika went over and beyond for her employees, and it shows through her work, every piece was exper tly made, with complete attention to detail, she was a remarkable woman. In the height of her business, Marika Jewellery was found in Dun Laoghaire, Grafton Street, Dublin Airpor t and in London where Marika used her Scandinavian heritage as her selling point. She moved the workshop to Bow Lane east after several break-ins at their Capel Street premises. She employed between 30 – 40 people ranging from setters and