A gravitation and relativity expert who has followed in the footsteps of the great Sir Isaac Newton was the first to snap up a solid silver replica apple newly crafted in his name.
Like Newton, Dr Alan Barnes went to the King’s School in Grantham and, by remarkable coincidence, then studied physics, cosmology and mathematics as did the great man before him.
The former lecturer at Aston University in Birmingham spotted the silver apple – modelled on one from the tree at Newton’s Woolsthorpe Manor birthplace – within an hour of it going on show at Marcus Wilkinson’s jeweller’s shop in Grantham’s Blue Court.
Alan said: “I understand that the apple was produced to tie in with this week’s Gravity Fields Festival and I spotted it on a relatively rare trip back to Grantham.”
Alan’s wife Helen became the apple of his eye when she bought the silver cast for £750 and gave it to her husband.
“I think it looks really nice and I hope it will be a good investment although knowing me I will probably never sell it. I’ll keep it on my desk for inspiration,” said Dr Barnes who grew up in Grantham’s Belton Lane before going to university in 1965. He is now retired and lives in Congleton.
Shop owner Marcus Wilkinson, who was inspired to produce the silver apples by Grantham’s Gravity Fields Festival celebrating Sir Isaac Newton, said the apple sold within an hour of it going on show.
“I had literally just put the apple into the window. Dr Barnes was travelling through and had stopped here for lunch. How much of a coincidence was that?
“It’s taken about six weeks from the apple falling from the tree to producing the silver version, which can be mounted on a marble base and be inscribed with anything a customer wants. We did get permission from the National Trust before we embarked on this.”
Marcus has produced a range of Newton-related apples, from the solid silver version to high tech 3D-printed colour versions, adorned by silver leaves designed by his assistant Colette Neenan, just graduated in jewellery object design from Lincoln University and sharing Marcus’ passion for innovation.
The 3D printing innovation came from Grantham’s Jamie Clare at Iconic Engineering Solutions Ltd in Westgate, who will be exhibiting at The George Centre as well as in Wilkinson’s shop.
Wilkinsons’ Colette Neenan with the solid silver apple
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.