Jeff Durbar, Connect. Courtesy Museums Sheffield. © the artist

The 12 finalists of the first £10,000 Museums Sheffield National Metalwork Design Award have been chosen.

The award is a new national biennial event, sponsored by Yorkshire South Tourism, in partnership with Yorkshire Forward and South Yorkshire Objective 1. Organisers are looking to reward the best examples of bold, brave and innovative metalwork design.

The prize also emphasises the important role production and design of metal has played in both Sheffield Museums' and the city’s past.

Included in the shortlist, which was chosen by a judging panel including the Duke of Devonshire and Corin Mellor of cutlery firm David Mellor Design, are well known artists in their field alongside emerging artists from across the UK.

Colin O’Dubhghaill, Tulipiere Bowl. Courtesy Museums Sheffield. © the artist

The 12 short-listed makers:

Roger Doyle for Ocean Bowl, a cast iron bowl with a Britannia silver lining.

Ji Hoon Choi for the Vessels of Wishes, a pair of vessels made of sterling silver, silver, steel and ebony.

Mark Constable for Serenity, a silver mokume and stainless steel corkscrew and stand.

Jeff Durbar for Connect, a sterling silver, stainless steel and mild steel vase for a dining table.

Drummond Hastings Masterson for Two Reservoirs, two ceremonial drinking vessels manufactured using digital manufacturing technologies and made of CNC milled steel and selective laser sintered (SLS) steel.

Alexander Hammond for Tequila Set, a silver tray with bowls for salt and lemon within and a pair of shot glasses in their stand, stair casing around the tequila bottle holder.

Alexander Hammond, Tequila Set. Courtesy Museums Sheffield. © the artist

Martin Drury for Sphere in Cube 1, a stainless steel cube made from tiny pieces, laser welded together with an oxidised mild steel sphere within the cube.

Victoria Kershaw for Tea Set, a raised silver tea set with a concrete tray.

Esther Lord for Sail Vessel, a sculptural vessel inspired by the Urban Landscape, made of nickel-plated gilding metal.

Cameron Maxfield for Tea Bag Pot, a hand raised vessel mechanically suspended within a perforated mild steel cube cage.

Colin O’Dubhghaill for Tulipiere Bowl, a patinated copper and shakudo bowl with silver inserts.

Lucian Taylor for Fibre Bowl, a simple bowl made by fusing tiny pieces of wire made of Argentium silver.

The 12 works can be seen in Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery during October 2008. The winner will be announced in December 2008.

Museums Sheffield are custodians of one of the most important collections of decorative and domestic metalwork in the UK. Housed in the award-winning Millennium Galleries, it exemplifies the city’s rich cultural and historical association with metal that dates from the 14th century, as well as cutting edge new designs.

Please note: some images are prototypes of works which are in production