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3/10/2010: New
Feature: Tools of the Trade
3/10/2010: New
Member Benefit!
2/19/2010: Aches
& Pains at the Bench
2/17/2010:
New Member Benefit - A Service We Can All Use! Dr. Morgenstein has been a physical therapist since 1973 and is the co-owner of Midland Physical Therapy Group. He has an advanced clinical doctorate in orthopedic manual physical therapy and specializes in the treatment of individuals with muscle and joint injuries. If you're a SAS member and have these problems, don't suffer any longer! Contact Dr. Morgenstein at:
Midland Physical
Therapy Group
2/12/2010:
Providence File Company Sells Business
2/11/2010:
Metalsmiths Emergency Assistance Do you know a silversmith or jeweler whose workshop has been destroyed by fire? Do you have a friend who recently lost their business due to a flood, hurricane, or financial problems? The Society of American Silversmiths is here to help them get back on their feet through our discounts and toll-free number when calling for assistance and advice from SAS Executive Director Jeffrey Herman. SAS will also donate a two-year membership to those who have been through a life-altering disaster. The individual must live in North America. More information and resources: http://www.silversmithing.com/1disaster.htm
Robyn Nichols' Discounts
2/9/2010:
Add Some Spice to Your Silver!
1/25/2010:
Updated Working With Ivory Article
1/19/2010:
Artisan Member Videos
12/11/2009:
Bernie Bernstein's "Sanctification and the Art of Silversmithing" The title is Sanctification and the Art of Silversmithing--Processes and Techniques: a Handbook for Museums. The exhibition was designed to inform visitors about the basic techniques of silversmithing, such as making holloware, forging, casting, chasing, filigree, etc. Silver ritual objects in the Museum's collection were used as examples. Associated tools were also displayed. The catalog content includes text, photographs and drawings that cover, more completely, the content of the original exhibition and Bernie informs me that it has been used by other museums as an aid in training docents and staff members. One metalsmithing teacher distributes it to his students and workshop attendees. We also see it as something you can give to your clients to educate them about what you do.
To order the
catalog contact: Jeff Herman, Executive Director of SAS
11/17/2009:
Sweeps
For CERF
Craft Emergency
Relief Fund
11/9/2009:
Dangerous
& Destructive Chemical Dips Chemical dips, such as Tarn-X, work by dissolving the tarnish on an object at an accelerated rate. Dips are used by silver restorers when heavy black tarnish cannot be removed with liquid or paste polishes. Chemical dips are wiped over the object with a cellulose sponge or cotton ball, as submerging the piece for long periods will remove factory-applied patinas and cause pitting of the object's surface. These surface defects will act like a sponge and more readily absorb tarnish-producing gases and moisture. The object may then require professional polishing to restore the original finish. Chemical dips are made up of an acid and a complexing agent. Acids are corrosive and will damage niello, bronze, stainless steel knife blades, and organic materials such as wood and ivory. The ingredients can also be harmful to the user, which is why silver restorers wear nitrile gloves and work in a well ventilated area. Chemical dips should never be used on objects that have sealed components, such as candlesticks and trophies with hollow feet, or teapots with hollow handles. Once the dip leaks into the cavity through small holes or imperfections in the joints, it becomes virtually impossible to wash the chemical out. If you're working on a baby cup with this type of rim, do you really want an infant drinking from it after using Tarn-X? The following is from their own MSDS:
For all the above reasons, this cleaning technique should only be used by individuals with training in its proper use.
Jeffrey Herman
11/2/2009:
Argentium
Stamps Now Available at Rio Grande
Rio Grande
10/29/2009:
Don't
Trust All Silver Polishing Videos! Please take time to read my Silver Care Guide. I have spent 25 years testing products and researching the subject of silver care. With proper care, your silver will remain beautiful for generations!
Jeffrey Herman
10/23/2009:
New
Member Benefit From Ufax
10/18/2009:
SAS
Address Change
5/27/2009:
Argentium Sterling Stamp Almost Ready "Last week we reached an arrangement with Argentium where we can bring an Argentium stamp to market. Before we can begin selling the stamp, our manufacturer has to finish the tooling to mass produce it and we have to approve a sample and receive our first inventory shipment. All of that will take about 6 weeks if all goes well. Pricing will be comparable to our other marking stamps. I will email you as more details come together on this. As of today, we aren't yet ready to begin taking orders for the stamp, but we should be ready soon."
4/8/2009: John
Axel Prip (1922-2009) Prip was a master metalsmith known for setting standards of excellence in American metalsmithing. His works and designs have become famous for bringing the formal, technical tradition of Danish design into harmony with the American desire for innovation. Several of his designs for the Reed and Barton Company are still in production today. Prip was born in New York to a Danish father and an American mother. As a child, he moved to Denmark with his family, where his father ran a silversmithing factory that had been his grandfather's. At 15, Prip began an apprenticeship while attending high school. The next five years were spent polishing stakes, sweeping up, and laboriously reproducing classical renderings. The experience taught diligence and a deeply rooted technical skill, but simultaneously imposed a restricted aesthetic. In a way it was the unlearning of these traditional forms and procedures that pushed the young silversmith into bold experiments and motivated the innovations that distinguished his career. In 1948, Prip returned to the United States with his wife, Karen, and infant son, Peter. He came over on the same boat with a woodworker named Tage Frid, who was to become a lifelong colleague and friend. They had both been invited to teach at a new school in Alfred, New York, called the School for American Craftsmen. At the time, there were few places to study and limited knowledge of metalsmithing techniques in the United States. Prip's position was unique: his Danish training provided him with firm technical grounding, while his American environment encouraged the attitude of exploration and innovation that became a hallmark of his career. When the school moved to the Rochester Institute of Technology two years later, Jack and his family, which now included daughter Janet, moved along with it. It was during this time in the early '50s that Prip and the crafts movement were eagerly searching for their own style. Along with Frans Wildenhain, Tage Frid, Ronald Pearson, and others, Prip established a gallery in Rochester called Shop One. This gallery was a unique institution in its time, providing not only a business venture originated and managed by craftsmen, but also a forum for the presentation of top quality avant-garde craftwork. Its mission was to educate the public to the special beauty of handmade objects. In 1957, after three years with Shop One, Prip again felt the need to move on. Through some fortunate connections he was hired by Reed and Barton Company, a holloware and flatware manufacturer in Massachusetts. The title invented for the role he conceived was Artist-Craftsman-Residence. He was given a workspace, materials, and access to the 900-worker factory. It was understood that Prip had a responsibility to address himself to work that might eventually profit the company, but beyond that guidance no restrictions were imposed. Prip was to stay at Reed and Barton for three years. One indication of his success there is the fact that 20 years later several of his designs are still in production. Prip returned to teaching at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and after three years went to the Rhode Island School of Design, where he would teach until 1981. His one-man show at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1987, gave me a new appreciation for his work. Each piece was crafted to the point of absolute perfection. I remember finding it difficult to stop staring at such beautiful objects, even trying to locate that elusive solder joint pinhole. . . it never appeared! The holloware and flatware were raised, forged, and fabricated to stand the test of time. Many of the pieces in the exhibit were technically complex, with finishes ranging from smoothly polished to heavily organic. Prip's command of every material he handled–whether silver, bronze, pewter, precious stones, bone, glass, or granite–was obvious. Most of the sculptural objects were so whimsical that his utilitarian holloware and flatware looked to be conceived by a different artist. Prip's aesthetic and impeccable craftsmanship are a testament to his love of silver and any other material he touched. His technical prowess enabled him to produce anything he envisioned. He often spoke fondly of his time in Denmark, his years teaching at RIT and RISD, and the artistic freedom he had at Reed and Barton. As Jack Prip spent his twilight years in the home he shared with his wife, Judy Skoogfors Prip, I hope he realized the tremendous impact he had on his students and the field of silversmithing. To see some of Jack's work and bio., visit http://www.silversmithing.com/1hans26.htm. Condolences can be sent to Judy Skoogfors Prip, 75 Fort Ave. Cranston, RI 02905. What a incredible loss to the silver world. Jeffrey Herman, SAS Executive Director
4/7/2009: SilverChat
Guest Alan Buff Growth Partners provides senior level sales and marketing management services to a variety of small and mid-sized businesses on a part-time basis. A partial list of services include: branding and marketing strategy; sales force development and management; distribution channel analysis; key account development; and, market-driven product development guidance. You can read a more about Growth Partners, including several case studies, at Growth Partners.
2/25/2009: Artist Talk with
SAS Artisan Cynthia Eid
2/3/2009: Two for One Membership!
1/20/2009: SAS Now Takes
Credit Cards for Membership
1/19/2009: New
Artisan Remembrace Page
1/9/2009: Forum Now Members Only Feeling cranky and depressed and can't get any work accomplished? Have you discovered a great new tool or technique? Share these things with us. Enjoy yourself, you're among friends! No advertising, please. Post to the Member Forum. 1/8/2009: Michel Ann Royston Dies 12/23/2008: Kurt Matzdorf Dies
11/15/2008:
Valentin Yotkov invites you on a trip to his native Bulgaria.
9/15/2008: Creatively Moving
Metal With the Hydraulic Press
8/9/2008:
New Recommendations Page
7/13/2008: Oppi
Untracht Dies
6/27/2008: 2nd
Quarter Silver News Now
Available From
the Silver Institute
6/27/2008: Residency
Position in Jewelry/Metals/Glass Department For all the info. please click here. 6/9/2008: McKinnon Global No Longer Offering SAS Discounts 5/23/2008: New Release of Metalsmith's Calculator
2/7/2008: European
Silver Workshops with Valentin Yotkov Denmark will offer you a five-day hands on Chasing and Repousse workshop on the majestic island of Bornholm, also known as the "Pearl of the Baltic Sea." In addition to the workshop we will go on sightseeing adventures to explore the captivating beauty of the island. Our trip to Bulgaria will expose you to 10 unforgettable days exploring ancient gold and silver treasures created 2500 years ago. We will view metal vessels and jewelry among the artifacts exhibited at National museums. We will visit private studios of world renowned Bulgarian artists as well as caves, castles/fortresses, natural wonders, and wander through villagers untouched by time. And then there is Italy in the heart of Tuscany! A stay at an incredible 16 century Villa and winery in the rolling green hills with breathtaking views in every direction. The focus of this workshop will be shading and drawing. Creating dimension through shading will enable you to see how your design will appear when raised in metal. We will relish in the beauty of this stunning vineyard and visit the quaint villages that the Chianti region has to offer as well as a trip to Florence. For workshop schedules and to view photos from previous workshop please click on the links below. We look forward to having you join us. Valentin Yotkov, Sharon Fosko
Denmark. Chasing
and Repousse
Bulgaria. Art and
Culture Adventure
Italy. Shading and
Drawing for Jewelry and Hollowware
VALENTIN YOTKOV STUDIO
1/5/2008: Schoonhoven
Silver Award:A Challenge
for All
Silversmiths. A qualified jury will judge all the entries to this. The Jury comprises: Annabelle Birnie, head of ING Art Management, Jury Chair Sjarel Ex, director of Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam Ineke Middag, director of the Singer Museum in Laren The winner will receive the "Schoonhoven Silver Award", a prize of €7,000, made available by Schoonhoven City Council. The foundation aims to have the exhibition tour internationally once the silver works have first been exhibited in De Watertoren in Schoonhoven. The theme for the 2008/2009 design competition is "Poetry in Silver" The SilverArt Foundation invites silversmiths, designers and artists to participate in the selection for this competition and the resulting exhibitions. You can enter this competition by sending documentation to: SilverArt Foundation, Bij de Watertoren 25, 2871 SW, Schoonhoven, The Netherlands; before April 12th 2008. This documentation must include clear pictures of your work together with your name, address, date of birth, telephone number and email address. Collaboration between artists is permitted. Could you please arrange this documentation in such a way that the Jury can effectively get a good idea of your work? For this reason email with attachments cannot be accepted. Based on the documentation the Jury will select the entrants who will be invited to participate in the design competition. In principle all entrants of whom the Jury is convinced that they can skillfully make a silver object (or have it made) will be accepted. We shall ensure that the documentation is returned as quickly as possible. All Jury decisions are binding. Definitive design The participants invited by the Jury to take part in the competition will be asked to make one object in silver with the theme of "Poetry in Silver". This object must be original and recently made. It must not have been previously shown at an international exhibition or have been portrayed in a catalogue. The object must be predominantly made of silver. Other materials may be used, but these must not affect the character of the silverwork. The size of the work must be at least 60 centimeters as the sum of length, width and height. This expressly excludes jewelry. The pieces must be received in Schoonhoven by January 15th 2009 at the latest. The Jury will judge the objects that have been entered and select the winner of the Schoonhoven Silver Award 2009. All pieces accepted will be exhibited in De Watertoren in Schoonhoven from April 3rd to June 28th 2009. The pieces must remain available to the organization until the end of 2009 for the anticipated subsequent exhibitions. The SilverArt Foundation will publish a catalogue to accompany the exhibition, in which all the works will be represented with a photo, name and title. Sufficient copies will be printed for each participant to be given their own catalogue and it will be possible for participants to order further copies. For more information concerning this design competition please send an email with return address and the subject line: "poetry in silver". The address is: info@zilverkunst.nl. Additional information is also available on the website: http://www.zilverkunst.nl
1/5/2008: New
Technical Paper
8/9/2007: SAS
Debuts its Career Center! We accept resumes and job listings for all positions in the metal arts field, including: silversmiths; jewelers; designers; teachers; chasers; spinners; engravers; die makers; model makers; mold makers; casters; polishers; technicians; manufacturing, and marketing and sales professionals.
7/30/2007: John
Marshall Receives 2006 Hans Christensen Sterling Silversmith's Award! Mr. Marshall chaired the Metalworking Department at the University of Washington School of Art, and was named Professor Emeritus in 2001. He also taught at Syracuse University, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Cleveland Institute of Art, with majors in silversmithing and design. Mr. Marshall's papers and drawings (1963-2003) are included in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution. He is an American Craft Council Honorary Fellow, a peer-elected distinction reserved for artists of outstanding ability who have worked 25 years or more in their discipline. A two-and-a-half-minute video of John working, and more biographical information, can be found at http://www.silversmithing.com/1hans27.htm. The Hans Christensen 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 an individual who has made significant contributions to the field.
About
the Christensen Award
7/26/2007: MJSA
Trade Show Featuring Cynthia Eid To register for the October 10-11 Trade Show, click here.
7/24/2007:
Second Quarter Silver News http://www.silverinstitute.org/news/2q07.pdf If you do not have Adobe Reader loaded on your computer, you may download it from the Internet at no charge. Simply click on this link to the Adobe web site http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html and follow the simple instructions at the bottom of the page.
The Silver Institute 7/24/2007: The 2nd Annual MJSA Trade Show for Metalsmiths You Won’t Find This Collection of Products and Services at Any Other Trade Show: J3D Jewelry Design Institute (CAD training), A to Z Bohemian Glass (beads), Acropolis Studios (CAD/CAM services), American Gemological Laboratories (gemstone grading lab), Agliatta Associates (jewelers’ insurance), AirSep (oxygen & industrial gases), Aquatronics Industries (water & waste management), Bella Venetian Beads (imported glass beads), E.H. Ashley (Swarovski 5-star dealer), Crafford-LaserStar (laser systems), Exquisite Jewelry (gold & silver findings), Forrestal Jewelry (tools for jewelry making & display), Geib Refining (precious metal refiners), Gemvision (computer design software), Gesswein (tools, equipment, supplies), Hybrivet Systems (lead testing kits), Innovative CAD Technologies (CAD Service Bureau), Jewelers Board of Trade (credit reporting, collections, marketing), Jewelers Mutual (insurance for the jewelry industry), Jewelry Training Center (training & education), Lucky Gems & Jewelry Factory (semi-precious stones, beads, pearls), Merchants Overseas (Swarovski 5-star dealer), Metalsmith/Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), Metalwerx (jewelry making training), refiners), Multi Creations (beads & gemstones), National Assn of Jewelry Appraisers, Niche Magazine, Para Wire (wire & metals), Premier Roll & Tool (roll tools), Professional Security Services (security guards), RHB Enterprises (imported beads, gemstones, minerals), Racecar Jewelry (findings, chain, components), Rare Earth Mining (one of a kind gemstones), Reactive Metals Studio (leading supplier of nobium & titanium sheet and wire), Reliable-Larimar (an ocean blue gemstone from the Dominican Republic), Silver In Style (silver beads & findings from Bali and Thailand), Solidscape (wax printers), Spirig (Spirflame microflame generators), Stuller Inc. (tools; equipment, findings), United Precious Metal Refining (precious metals, alloys, solders), Unique Gems (beads & gemstones), Waxcutter (table top CNC machines), Zarlene Imports (beads & gemstones), and some very interesting companies about to sign-up.
October 10 &
11, 2007
6/17/2007:
Shell Forming Book to be Published.
2/25/2007:
Silver Institure's 1st Quarter 2007 Issue of Silver News If you do not have Adobe Reader loaded on your computer, you may download it from the Internet at no charge. Simply click on this link to the Adobe web site (http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep2.html) and follow the simple instructions at the bottom of the page.
Yenny Feng
1/18/2007: ARGENTIUM SILVER MINI-SYMPOSIUM
Thursday evening, January 25, 2007 After dinner, lectures by Peter Johns and Samuel Davis
Place: MIT Faculty Club
Price: Non-members: $30 Attendees should RSVP to Ceren (Karen) Eraslan at ccura-eraslan@emsclad.com ASAP. SUMMARY: Argentium Sterling Silver is a revolutionary invention that offers the benefits of being harder and more tarnish and firescale resistant than regular sterling silver. Since manufacturing began at Stern-Leach in 2004, Argentium Silver has rapidly gained popularity and hundreds of products, processes, and major developments have evolved. Customers, artisans, and craftsman who use Argentium Silver, have become an integral part of the education, marketing and commercial development of the product. A historical overview of the research behind Argentium Silver will be presented, together with details of the unique properties of the alloy. Theoretical data and test results will then be discussed, which support the claims being made that Argentium Silver is more ductile and more tarnish and fire scale resistant than regular sterling. A small exhibition of silverware and jewelry items will be on display and a video titled “The Silversmith of Williamsburg", will be available for viewing at the start of the evening. This short film depicts traditional silversmithing techniques. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS: Peter G. Johns, FIPG, is the inventor of Argentium Silver and the Technical Director for Argentium Silver Co. Ltd., leading the research activities and product development program for the company. Peter brings practical experience as a silversmith, with a unique insight into silver production, from both a craft perspective and an industrial manufacturing perspective. He trained and worked as a silversmith and is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and the City of London. During his apprenticeship, he won a Gold Medal at the Industrial Olympics, as well as several awards for craftsmanship. His masterpiece to gain the freedom of The Goldsmiths’ Company was a silver cross - this is now the Processional Cross used at Canterbury Cathedral. Peter is also a Fellow of The Institute of Professional Goldsmiths (UK). Argentium Silver was developed through Peter’s research at Middlesex University (UK), which initially set out to prevent firescale in sterling silver. Further research revealed other superior features, including high tarnish resistance and unique hardening properties. Peter has presented his research around the globe, including at the world famous Santa Fe Symposium, on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology. There are now 16 patents pending and four granted patents related to Argentium Silver. In 2004, Argentium Silver won the ‘AJM Innovation Award’. Samuel A. Davis, P.E., is a Senior Process Engineer for Stern-Leach, a company of Cookson Precious Metals, Cookson Material Products division. His responsibilities include duties such as alloy, product and process development; Chair of the Ergonomics Committee; customer technical support; procedure writing; and continuous improvement. He previously worked as a Process Engineer for Titanium Metals Corporation and as a Senior Process Safety Engineer for H.C. Starck. Mr. Davis is an active member of The Minerals, Metals, Materials Society (TMS); the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE); and Tau Beta Pi (the engineering honor society). He was selected as a TMS Young Leader for the Extraction and Processing Division in 1999-2000 and served as Chair of the TMS Young Leader Committee, where he helped organize and chair symposiums at the national meetings. More recently, he is the past chair of the Boston Section of TMS. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno. Argentium® Sterling Silver is a registered trademark.
11/3/2006: New Benefit for Members
10/20/2006: New
Member
Forum
on the Web! Its a young project, but the small, enthusiastic community is growing fast. In fact silversmithing.com's very own Jeff Herman has just become moderator of the silver care section! Its free to join and participate and we encourage you all to stop by and introduce yourselves at the silver-collector bar! 10/4/2006: New Calculator Version Released
9/14/2006: Silversmith
Florence Hollingsworth Dies In 2003, the town honored Florence Hollingsworth with the Boston Post Cane as Lincoln’s oldest registered voter. She was only 96 years old at the time. Hollingsworth, who turned 100 Aug. 28, died at her home Sept. 5. She was surrounded by her network of caretakers, who over the past 10 years had become her family. Originally from Oregon, Hollingsworth attended Oregon State University, where she met her husband Lowell. The two graduated when the Great Depression hit the nation hard. The Rev. Roger Paine of First Parish Church, where Hollingsworth was a member, said Florence took a teaching job after graduation that paid her only with IOUs at first. In an attempt to better their situation the couple attended Stanford University, after which Lowell was offered a job at MIT Lincoln Labs and they relocated to the East Coast. Hollingsworth was a well-known silversmith and taught for many years at DeCordova’s Museum School. LeBlanc remembers taking her back to DeCordova and to a studio at the school, Studio 5, which is named after her. "You could just see her face light up," she said. "There are some things that just stay even with Alzheimer’s." Libby Prince, who has houses in Concord and Florida, was one of Hollingsworth’s first silversmith students at DeCordova, almost 50 years ago and remained in touch with her and her husband over the years. Prince said Hollingsworth started working at DeCordova in the late 1950s to keep busy. "She was so warm that when she had students she befriended them like family," Prince said, and by the end of the class, every student had been to her house either for lunch or dinner. Sarah Cannon Holden, who grew up in town, remembers the popularity of Hollingsworth’s class, and has a set of silver candlesticks her mother made for her when she was one of Hollingsworth’s students. Hollingsworth would often put her silversmith skills to work outside of the school, making gifts for family and friends. Children of Hollingsworth’s friends remember her as a generous person. "Florence made a silver creamer and sugar that my mother had and I have now," said Charles Phillips, a Concord resident who grew up in Lincoln. She also designed the silver communion trays used at First Parish today. Hollingsworth shared her wealth. She was an avid gardener and would give her plants to friends, who remember her having a tennis court-sized enclosure around her garden at home. She would also share recipes. "She was a good cook," Prince said. "She was really a legend in Lincoln for many years," said Cannon Holden. "She was just this person of my childhood who was just so special." 5/9/2006: SAS Artisan Gayle Clarke Dies
4/8/2006: New Calculator for Members!
1/12/2006: Changes
in Member Benefits Complete
1/6/2006: New
Supplier!
12/29/05: New
Version of Metalsmith's Alloy Calculator Released
11/26/05: New
Version of Metalsmith's Alloy Calculator Released
10/20/05: SAS
Disaster Relief
10/18/05: SAS
Career Center
9/29/05: G&S
Metals, Inc.
9/23/05:
Precious Metals on Display
8/13/05: The
Art of Hand Engraving
8/12/05: All
That Glitters
8/4/05: Art
Fund Dashes to Save Sterling Trophy
5/24/05: New
Argentium Sterling Dealer
4/27/05: 2005
Christen Award Archive
Late-Breaking
News (2003-4)
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