James Tassie (1735-1799) was one of a number of highly skilled artists who capitalised on this demand. Born in Scotland he started his career as a stonemason before returning to study sculpture and modelling at the Glasgow Academy. Having travelled to Dublin in Ireland to seek commissions, he made the acquaintance of an amateur gem engraver, Dr Quinn. Together the two men developed a new type of white enamel that was ideally suited to portrait medallions. However it was after relocating to London in 1766 that Tassie’s career as a gem engraver really took off. He soon acquired an international reputation, and received a commission for 15,000 pieces from Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. Many prestigious European collections were made accessible to him for the purposes of study. His knowledge of antique designs was highly esteemed and he was commissioned to provide designs for Josiah Wedgwood. In fact his gems and medallions proved so popular that the business continued to flourish in the early nineteenth century under the direction of his nephew William Tassie.