At the turn of the last century Glasgow was at the very heart of the avant-garde movement of fine and decorative arts, the influences of which reverberated around the world.

The changing times saw the emergence of many independent women's studios particularly in the fields of metal-work and jewellery design. One such, was the Gilmour Studio of the sisters Margaret (1860-1942) and Mary (1872-1930) started in 1893; here, as in many other "Sister's studios" work of the highest quality was executed for an enthusiastic and ever expanding clientele of newly prosperous collectors, many of whom were local and wished to acquire articles of this very fashionable genre