William deMatteo
Master Silversmith of Colonial Williamsburg, American, 1923 - 1988
William L. deMatteo, a second generation silversmith, learned the craft in his father's studio in New Jersey before becoming the master silversmith at Colonial Williamsburg. During his lifetime, he created many masterpieces, some as presentation pieces for royalty, including Queen Elizabeth, King Baudoin of Belgium, and King Hussain of Jordan, as well as Winston Churchill, President Kennedy, President Nixon. For his magnificent craftsmanship and accomplishments, he became the first American silversmith inducted into the Goldsmiths' Company in London and has been awarded the gold medal of the American Institute of Architects.
DeMatteo designed presentation pieces for the White House Correspondents' Association annual presentations to Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, and Jimmy Carter. He designed numerous handcrafted gifts for visiting presidents, queens, kings, and prime ministers, and the Department of State commissioned deMatteo to craft silver trays for presentation to Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at the Camp David Accords in 1978.
DeMatteo designed presentation pieces for the White House Correspondents' Association annual presentations to Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, and Jimmy Carter. He designed numerous handcrafted gifts for visiting presidents, queens, kings, and prime ministers, and the Department of State commissioned deMatteo to craft silver trays for presentation to Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin at the Camp David Accords in 1978.