John Leslie Auld trained at Belfast College of Art and then the Royal College of Art in London before taking up a post at the Glasgow School of Art, a post he held until his retirement in 1979. He was also a designer goldsmith and ivory carver and later in life enjoyed painting in watercolors. From 1940-64 Auld was director of the art department of the Municipal Technical College in Londonderry, but also taught temporarily at the Glasgow School of Art. He always signed his work “J.L.Auld”. His book Your Jewellery was part of the Your Homecraft series of books published in 1951.
Great Britain