One-to-one training with Rauni Higson

If you’re looking to learn a load of new skills and level up your metalsmithing game (or you know someone who is), you might be interested in my new offer of One-to-One workshop training, either online (so you can work in your own space wherever that may be in the world) or in person in my workshop in North Wales (with added beautiful landscape, homemade soup, tea and biscuits). Vouchers are available for full or partial payment, please reply to this email or call me on +44 7789402481 if you’d like a chat about it.

Open Call DIVA Antwerp

Are you a jewellery designer or silversmith and want to gain experience in the DIVA Atelier in 2024? A residency at DIVA is a chance to grow as a maker and to reflect on your work and creatively explore new ideas.Those participating in DIVA’s artists-in-residence programme will reap the benefits of time for research, the space and tool required for experimentation as well as support in their specific field. It is also an opportunity to benefit from access to the museum’s excellent specialist library and to become better acquainted with the rich and diverse museum collection. More information. For a residency in 2024, the museum expects your application before February 18, 2024.

You will find additional information and a registration form on the website of DIVA.

Interview with Joy BC

Artist and Goldsmith Joy Bonfield-Colombara – Joy BC – was interviewed for London Craft Week. Joy’s work challenges pre-existing notions of precious materials, and ingrained societal ideals of western female bodies in sculpture. She enjoys playing with mythologies and re-examines the fascination with the ‘Classical’.

Read the full interview.

Tea Time – Teesiebe im Wandel der Zeit

Bevor der Teebeutel die Geschichte des Tees revolutionierte, gehörte das Teesieb zum festen Bestandteil der Genusskultur. Seine Blütezeit ist zwischen 1800 und 1950 zu verorten, in der insbesondere mit Blick auf die europäischen Kolonialmächte, wie England und den Niederlanden, mit zunehmendem Wohlstand auch die Zahl an schönen und teuren Haushaltsgegenstânden stark zunahm. Die Ausstellung präsentiert rund 400 sorgfältig ausgewählte Teesiebe der Sammlung Gunda und Klaus Henneberger aus vielen verschiedenen Ländern der Welt ab Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis in die zweite Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Die Ausführungsvielfalt umfasst den Historismus über den Jugendstil bis in den Art Déco sowie einige zeitgenössische Siebe bis in die Gegenwart.
Before the tea bag revolutionized the history of tea, the tea strainer was an integral part of the culture of enjoyment. Its heyday can be placed between 1800 and 1950, during which the number of beautiful and expensive household items increased sharply as prosperity increased, particularly with a view to the European colonial powers such as England and the Netherlands. The exhibition presents around 400 carefully selected tea strainers from the Gunda and Klaus Henneberger collection from many different countries around the world from the middle of the 19th century to the second half of the 20th century. The variety of designs includes historicism through Art Nouveau to Art Deco as well as some contemporary screens up to the present day.

2.10.2023 – 21.04.2024 Museum Zons, Schloßstraße 1, 41541 Dormagen-Zons (D)

Auf Abwegen

Wo hört der Nutzen auf, und wo beginnt das Spiel jenseits der Funktion? Es ist längst nichts Neues mehr, dass einige Vertreterinnen und Vertreter der zeitgenössischen Silber- und Goldschmiedekunst den klassischen Kanon ihrer eigenen Disziplin, ihrer historischen Wurzeln und Traditionen hinterfragen. Da entstehen wilde Dinge, die gold- und silberschmiedische Tabus verletzen, die von Ungehorsam, von Regelverletzung zeugen. »Da geraten goldene Regeln ins Wanken, ästhetische Normen werden diskutiert oder persifliert. Das Gerät, der Schmuck, das Objekt verwandeln sich in Paraphrasen ihrer jeweiligen Materie«, erläutert Kuratorin Ellen Maurer Zilioli. Gesellschaftliche, kulturelle, politische Kritik begleiten diese Tendenzen.
Die Schau zeigt Schmuck, Gerät und Objekte, die übliche Sichtweisen in Frage stellen. Beteiligt sind insgesamt 28 Künstlerinnen und Künstler, darunter Karen Pontoppidan und David Clarke, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Beatrice Brovia oder Nicolas Cheng.
Sie alle bewegen sich in einem Zwischenraum, der kulturelle Verkoppelungen erlaubt. Ihre Objekte, ihre Formfindungen lassen sich auf diesem feinen Grat ansiedeln, wo Definitionen und herkömmliche Vorstellungen das Fundament eines höchst intelligenten und vielschichtigen Nachdenkens zum Gerät, Gefäß und zum Schmuck überhaupt bilden, aber gleichzeitig immer verlassen oder modifiziert werden.

Beteiligte Künstler und Künstlerinnen:
Tobias Alm, Sawa Aso, Astrid Becksteiner-Rasche, Naama Bergman, Tobias Birgersson, Betrice Brovia/Nicolas Cheng, David Clarke, Kanako Ebisawa, Ute Eitzenhöfer, Åsa Elmstam, Anne Fischer, Karolina Hägg, Nils Hint, Katerina Jirsowa, Anders Ljungberg, Katerina Michalkova, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Eija Mustonen, Markus Pollinger, Karen Pontoppidan, Anna Rikkinen, Hans Stofer, Vivi Touloumidi, Tarja Tuupanen, Luzia Vogt, Stella Wanisch, Jing Yang

Bei der Ausstellung erschient ein Ausstellungskatalog.

06.10.2023 – 11.02.2024 Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim, Jahnstraße 42, 75173 Pforzheim

Hammer names

Picard Gmbh in Wuppertal, Germany, is one of the largest hammer manufacturers. They have years of experience and set high standards for their steel and surface treatments. They are therefore very skilled in making hammers, but they often fall short in their names. Apparently they use Google Translate or something similar to translate the names. The results are terrible and often misleading. I asked a German acquaintance to talk to Picard, but he couldn’t find anyone in the company to talk to or who would take the problem seriously.
If you look on ebay, you will see resellers all over the world quoting Picard descriptions. Here I give you two examples.

First a hammer advertised as a polishing hammer (New Picard 2 headed polishing hammer 017001-0375). This does not make sense.


The second example is called a chasing hammer (NO!). The latter is perhaps for raising (it will stretch the silver / not great), but I’d say bouging.

The problem is in the whole range of hammers. If a new student tries to find a chasing hammer and buys it, he will lose a lot of money and will waste a lot of time in his work. As a silversmith I only looked at the hammers I use myself. So I don’t know if this problem also occurs with other professions or with other types of tools. What I do know is that Picard misleads silversmith students and beginners through incorrect naming. After all, resellers of their products copy and paste Picard’s original description into their catalog or website. Picard also makes a ‘grooving’ hammer. I think I would call this a collet hammer.

An English company I spoke to saw the problem and expressed the intention to help. But in the end nothing happened, I think because they thought it was too big and too time consuming to solve. That is why I call on Picard and others to use corrective names. The best and inarguable sources of correct information are old text books (eg Finegold and Seitz) and not just opinions like mine. If we do so, we prevent that in a few years there will be no one old enough to know better and the trade in tools will be damaged by incorrect misleading information.

And is it wrong if you don’t know the name of your tools? I have been using very large scissors for 40 years, but I never knew their name. Recently I found their name in a 100 year old metalworking textbook. They are called Scotch Shears. I just shared this information directly on Instagram (@adrian.hope, 10/7/22)

I think it is an almost insoluble problem. The only answer I can see is a large poster / picture illustrating (to be displayed in every studio??) all the hammers we use 2 or 3 views of each hammer to show exact differences and weights. Their names in German, English, etc. There will be some with more than one name and some with more than one use.
It would probably be best to find a group of (elderly) smiths to sit around a table and hammer it out (sorry small British joke).

Adrian Hope

Silverday / Silbertag Schoonhoven

As Silver city of the Netherlands there is a long tradition of silver in Schoonhoven. One of these traditions is the National Silver Day in Schoonhoven, which will be held for the 37th time this year. This day, on Whit monday (May 29) draws around 20.000 people come to Schoonhoven to see exhibitions, demonstrations, shows and many stalls selling contemporary and antique silver, jewelry, precious stones, tools, books and many other items that are related to our profession. It is just one big silver market!
Als Silberstadt der Niederlande hat Silber in Schoonhoven eine lange Tradition. Eine dieser Traditionen ist der Nationale Silbertag in Schoonhoven, der dieses Jahr zum 37. Mal stattfindet. An diesem Tag, Pfingstmontag (29. Mai), kommen rund 20.000 Menschen nach Schoonhoven, um Ausstellungen, Vorführungen, Shows und viele Stände mit zeitgenössischem und antikem Silber, Schmuck, Edelsteinen, Werkzeugen, Büchern und vielen anderen Sachen die mit unserem Beruf zu tun haben, zu sehen. Es ist nur ein großer Silbermarkt!
This year practicing silversmiths are invited to be part of one of the biggest (if not the biggest) events on Silver in Europe.
Dieses Jahr sind praktizierende Silberschmiede eingeladen, um an einem der größten (wenn nicht sogar größten) Silber-Events in Europa teilzunehmen.
Paul de Vries’ workshop is right in the center of this event, and he wants to organise a contemporary silver fair within the event. Pavilion tents for displaying and selling objects can be placed in the centre Square. Each Pavilion tent is 4 x 4 meters, and has two closed and two open sides. They will be placed with corners connected to give the best presentation. Each tent is supplied with two tables. If you want to join in, you only have to bring your silverware or jewellery, and to take care of your insurance. The costs of a pavilion tent are not yet set and depend on sponsorship and number of participants.
Der Werkstatt von Paul de Vries steht im Mittelpunkt dieser Veranstaltung und er möchte eine zeitgenössische ‘Silbermesse’ im Rahmen der Veranstaltung organisieren. Auf dem zentralen Platz können Pavillonzelte zum Ausstellen und Verkaufen von Gegenständen aufgestellt werden. Jedes Pavillonzelt ist 4 x 4 Meter groß und hat zwei geschlossene und zwei offene Seiten. Um die beste Präsentation zu erzielen, werden diese mit verbundenen Ecken platziert. Jedes Zelt wird mit zwei Tischen geliefert. Die Kosten betragen € 250 pro Pavillonzelt, Zelte können jedoch geteilt werden. Wenn du mitmachen willt, müsst du nur ihren Silberobjekten oder Schmuck mitbringen und sich nur um ihre Versicherung kümmern. Die Kosten für ein Pavillonzelt stehen noch nicht fest und sind abhängig von Sponsoring und Teilnehmerzahl.
Anyone who is interested to take part in this event, please fill in the form and Paul de Vries will get to you. If there is anything else needed or if you have questions, just fill in the form.
Alle, die sich dafür interessieren, füllen das Formular aus und Paul de Vries wird sich bei ihnen melden. Wenn etwas benötigt ist, oder mit Fragen, wird einfach das Formular ausgefült.

    Your name / Ihr Name

    Your e-mail / Ihr E-mail

    Application or question / Anmeldung oder Frage

    The Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop

    The Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop aims to secure a thriving future for one of the Scotland’s great and most ancient traditions. The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust is establishing The Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop as a national centre where up to five silversmiths at a time can design and create stunning pieces from precious metals.
    Thanks to a generous bequest it is being fully equipped with the entire collection of tools, machinery and books built up by celebrated Scottish master silversmith Graham Stewart, of Dunblane, who died in 2020.

    On March 25th there will be the grand opening and a series of talks, demonstrations and discussion. One of the key themes of the day is community, and the event will provide a rare occasion for silversmiths to gather together during the weekend of March 24th – 26th.

    For the Marchmont Silversmithing Workshop the trust is also developing a funded and self-funded residency programme for 1 week – 1 month residencies with beautiful accommodation included. We will keep you informed.

    Read more about the project.

    Silberschmied gesucht / Silversmith wanted

    Silberschmied (m/w/d) gesucht
    Meister/Geselle/Azubi

    Neuanfertigung und Restaurierung von anspruchsvollen Projekten.
    Kontaktaufnahme per Telefon/Email:

    Silversmith (m/f/d) wanted
    Master/journeyman/apprentice
    New construction and restoration of upscale projects.
    Contact by phone/email:

    Micha Peteler – Schmiedeatelier Köln
    Vor den Siebenburgen 33
    50676 Köln
    +49 221 2042447 / +49 179 1000587
    post@micha-peteler.de
    www.micha-peteler.de