Silver Holloware Methodology
The creation of our beautiful pieces takes place in small workshops in the homes and gardens of our craftsmen. Places where our senses are brought alive with the song of hammers, the smell of wood smoke in the air, the heat of the fire pits, vibrant bougainvillea rambling everywhere and the wonderful grins of the artisans, proud to show off their skills.
Different families have different skill sets, passed down through the generations and here we briefly try to demonstrate a snapshot of the journey of each one of our pieces makes before it reaches your door.
1
Recycled Copper
The base of our products is made from pure, recycled copper. Each week lorry loads of copper wires and other copper scraps are delivered to the village for recycling.
The copper is painstakingly, untangled, inspected and sorted by hand to ensure that anything that is not pure copper is discarded.
2
Smelting
The smelting takes place in a hole dug in the earth of the workshop. It appears primitive but it is a remarkably precise and ordered process, using local wood, ash, charcoal, ancient fans and man power. Once the copper has melted, it is left to cool slightly, before being beaten by three men wielding massive hammers over their heads as they rotate methodically around the pit to create a perfect pure copper disc ready for the next stage -Artisan Team 2
3
Hand Beating
Artisan Team 2 is a friendly family home where you are always welcomed with warm a smile and delicious home cooked food.
Here, the disc of pure, solid copper will be hammered and fashioned into shape. An extraordinary number, shape, size and variety of tools lie around the workshop, tools which have passed down from father to son for many generations. A small fire burns for the copper to be smelted again as the process of creation begins. From a repeated process of smelting, beating, washing, heating, beating, a beautiful shiny copper holloware work of art appears.
4
The Handle
After a 400km journey, the products are now with Artisan Team 3 where the process of creating a handle begins. This father son team work effortlessly slickly together – each knowing what the other needs at every stage. First, they fashion the rim of the jug before they draw and stencil the desired shape onto a sheet of copper. After all sides are cut and placed together, they are then soldered on to the jug to form the basis on which the finished handle will be built.
5
Stone Mosaic
Out in the countryside with a studio surrounded by fuchsia bougainvillea and chickens strutting, Artisan 4 works on the most delicate and precise stage of the journey. Pieces of local stone are cut, ground and polished before piece by piece the artisan fits the stone together, like a jigsaw, onto the copper handle and the jugs begins to come to life.
6
Silver Plating
The final stage is like magical alchemy before our eyes as the jugs are dipped and double plated onto the copper before being polished into the beautiful objects we love.
BESPOKE
All of our silverware products can be made to order with your own choice of malachite, lazurite or pearl. Please contact us with your own ideas.