Meet the Maker Handcrafting Marine-Inspired, Timeless Silver ‘Jewelry for the Table’
Brooklyn silversmith Heath Wagoner creates sculptural tableware that delicately toes the line between playful and posh
Heath Wagoner doesn’t describe himself as an artist. “I like the term artisan designer,” he says. It’s a distinction that reveals a lot about both the silversmith’s character and practice. His work is rooted in centuries of tradition, but the pieces forged at the bench in his Dumbo workshop are of his singular vision and very much designed for today.
Wagoner creates beautiful hand-forged, predominantly sterling silver objects that he calls “jewelry for the table,” for a very discerning clientele. While his cutlery, cocktail picks, trays, and vessels could easily fall into the “special occasion” category, Wagoner hopes they will be become a part of everyday life. Meticulously crafted and sometimes incorporating embellishments like baroque pearls (on cocktail picks, no less), each is meant to be lived with and loved. For the record, he uses all of his pieces, including his current favorite, the Conserva Tin, which resembles a sardine can in the best possible way.
Wagoner’s affinity for metalwork is both technical and emotional. “Metal is one of the most forgiving materials,” he says. “If it doesn’t turn out right, you can melt it. It is permanent and impermanent.” Silver in particular holds a special appeal. After polishing away the firescale, the finished object becomes “this white, moonlike thing that feels magical.”
The designer grew up on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the son of a fisherman and beekeeper and a physician’s assistant. The ocean left a lasting imprint on his visual language. Marine motifs, including knots and shells, feature prominently throughout his work as quiet nods to his upbringing. An oyster shell incense holder, cast from a shell he found on the beach, represents what he describes as an elevated acknowledgment of where he comes from.
Originally enrolled at East Carolina University as a painting student, he discovered metalwork during a foundation course and immediately shifted direction. He studied under influential figures in both Italian and American metalworking, included Fabrizio Acquafresca (a 17th-generation master silversmith whose family made pieces for the Vatican) and Robert Ebendorf, whose mentorship ultimately led him to New York City, where he earned an MFA in Industrial Design from the School of Visual Arts (SVA). His first job was as a bench jeweler for Pamela Love, followed by a role at Tiffany & Co. in creative visual and merchandising. Both, he now realizes, helped hone his eye for luxury-level craftsmanship and presentation.
Wagoner’s return to independent making came during the pandemic. With his regular dinner parties and work paused, he began forging spoons by hand. A private commission quickly expanded into a full collection, laying the foundation for his studio practice. Today, Wagoner serves as design director of House of Harlow, shepherding the brand into fine materials and Italian production; designs decorative hardware for Ellis Works, a brand founded by former West Elm president Alex Bellos; and teaches advanced prototyping at SVA.
Somehow amidst all that he finds time for new studio projects. Most recently, a chic cocktail shaker sized for a single drink, a stylish yet diminutive cup, and tray scaled for modern urban living. “It’s for the person who lives in a small apartment, but it could also be for multiple single cocktails, or just a topper,” he mused, adding, “Imagine someone shakes your coffee in this beautiful sterling silver thing, and sets it with a gorgeous glass on a small silver tray.” He envisions these pieces offered as part of cocktail service on a luxurious train a la Orient Express, a private plane, or yacht.
His commitment to craft recently reached an international stage through a collaboration with Bottega Veneta. Selected for the house’s December 2025 Bottega for Bottegas initiative, Wagoner designed a limited run of sterling silver cocktail picks that were produced in partnership with an Italian factory long associated with the brand.
He seems well on his way to achieving his long-term ambition: to build a modern silver house rooted in heritage craft. He mentions his admiration for historic ateliers like Puiforcat in France, Tavares in Portugal, and Georg Jensen in Denmark; it’s this type of lineage he hopes to collaborate with one day, producing modern heirlooms for a new generation.