For Immediate Release (June 14, 2000)

 
SAS Artisan Harold Schremmer Receives 2000 Silversmith's Lifetime Achievement Award

The Society of American Silversmiths (SAS) is excited to announce its first recipient of The Hans Christensen Sterling Silversmith's Award. SAS Artisan Harold Schremmer, 72, of West Warwick, Rhode Island, received the prestigious accolade at SilverWorksII—the Society's annual silversmithing demonstration event held in Chepachet, Rhode Island.

The award is named after the late Hans Christensen, silversmith at Georg Jensen Silversmithy in Denmark, and Professor of Silversmithing at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York. The annual award honors those individuals who have made significant contributions to the field.

Presented to Schremmer on June 3, 2000, was a full size sterling and walnut planishing hammer patterned after a 50th birthday present given to Hans in 1974 by his students. The hammer head is hand engraved: Hans Christensen Sterling Silversmith's Award, June 3, 2000, Harold Schremmer, A Sterling Silversmith. The hammer and sterling letters "HC" for Hans Christensen, and "HS" for Harold Schremmer, were created by Thomas Sandretto, former student and originator of the award. David Pimentel, also a former student of Hans's, created the base and support arms in sterling. Additional sponsors including Jim Chal, Chuck Evans, Ron McNeish, Jon Parry, and Byron Whitehurst, lent both financial and creative assistance. Also presented was a framed certificate. Upon presentation, Schremmer jokingly proclaimed: "It's about time!"

Schremmer, who has been a studio silversmith since 1958, also taught metal-arts at Maine College of Art in Portland and Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. His work is known throughout the world, designing and creating elimination trophies for six years for the America's Cup, and with pieces in the Vatican including an altar cross for the High Altar of Saint Peter's.

He has a diploma in silversmithing and jewelry making, graduating with honors in 1953 from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts. He also has diplomas in silversmithing and jewelry making from schools in Schwabisch-Gmund and Pforzheim, Germany.

Schremmer's complete biography and selected sterling objects he created can be seen on the Society's Web site at http://www.silversmithing.com, where you will also find information on Hans Christensen.

Schremmer was chosen from a wide field of eligible silversmiths residing in the United States. This year's selection committee was comprised of Jeffrey Herman, Executive Director of SAS, and SAS Artisans Robert Butler and Susan Ewing.

Who is Eligible? (1) Any silversmith who is a United States citizen, (2) academics, professionals, and those working in the industry, (3) the nominee must be at least 50 years of age and a practicing silversmith for at least 20 years, (4) the silversmith must be living.

About the Society

The Society of American Silversmiths (SAS) was founded in 1989 as the world's only professional organization solely devoted to the preser-vation and promotion of contemporary silversmithing. Its Artisan members, those silversmiths both practicing and retired, who now or used to smith as a livelihood, are provided with support, networking, discounts, and greater access to the market. All Artisans have been juried into SAS based on their outstanding technical skill as silversmiths. In addition to nurturing student silversmiths, SAS also educates the public in demystifying silversmithing techniques and the aesthetic value of this art form through its free consulting service, the SASnews quarterly newsletter, American Silversmith annual, and exhibitions. Our Web site, located at http://www.silversmithing.com, is the largest and most comprehensive site devoted to silversmithing on the Internet.

Society of American Silversmiths
Contact: Jeffrey Herman
PO Box 786
Providence, RI 02907
Tel: 401/461-6840
Fax: 401/461-6841
E-mail: Press <sas@silversmithing.com>
Web: http://www.silversmithing.com

* Photographs of Harold Schremmer are available by contacting the Society.
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Hans Christensen Sterling Silversmith's Award
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