by Cynthia Eid on September 3, 2009
Today, I had to prepare some silver pieces for an exhibition. As I pulled the older pieces, which had been made with traditional sterling silver, out of their anti-tarnish bags, and saw the streaks of tarnish, I groaned. The newer pieces, made of Argentium Sterling, only needed a few swipes with a Goddard’s cloth to brighten the shine. The Argentium Silver pieces weren’t tarnished—they just were not gleaming. Several hours later, after going over the older pieces with cleaning compounds, and then waxing them so that they’ll stay good-looking during the exhibition, I felt that I had definitely experienced the difference between these two sterling silver alloys. Vive Argentium Silver!
Below are images of some of the work. The silver pieces will be in an exhibition at the Cahoon Museum, in Cotuit, MA. http://www.cahoonmuseum.org/
I’ll be giving a talk about the work at 11am, October 17, 2009.
Cynthia Eid

Lithic Lights -three sterling silver oil lamps. these needed to be polished and waxed, too....

Veins II Though it had been waxed and stored in a silvercloth bag, inside a sealed plastic bag, this sterling silver seder plate needed a polish and wax

Having a Chat -this set of 3 sterling silver, quartz, and hematite scent containers had to be cleaned and re-waxedPour Cindy: Self Portrait Tea Strainer This sterling silver piece was in pretty good shape, actually. (But I polished and waxed it, anyways.)

- This Argentium Silver lidded container, Convergences II, only needed a little shining up with a Goddards Long Shine Cloth
by Cynthia Eid on July 13, 2009
by Cynthia Eid on July 7, 2009


Ultimate Spiculum Hammer
I am working on a book with Betty Helen Longhi, Shellforming Techniques for Jewelers and Metalsmiths. The term shellforming describes a collection of techniques -mostly based on synclasting and anticlasting— through which sheets of metal are given complex, often sinuous form, to make objects of beauty and strength. The book will be edited by jeweler/author/educator Tim McCreight, and published by Brynmorgen Press, known for high quality publications. Publication date is yet to be determined.
As Betty and I work on the book, we have become aware that many of our favorite tools are one-of-a-kinds that we have made or found. We want our future readers to be able to have the necessary tools for the techniques in the book, so we have been designing tools, and working with manufacturers to bring them into production. I am really excited about our first tool! We have teamed up with Bill Fretz to design and produce the Ultimate Spiculum Hammer. The Ultimate Spiculum Hammer has the elegant lines and exquisitely comfortable handle that are trademarks of Fretz hammers. The hammers are have the Longhi and Eid logos on the handle, and the traditional Fretz logo on the hammer-head. Around 1980, Betty designed and made a hammer that was based on one that she had watched Heikki Seppa use to make spiculums. Lee Marshall of Bonny Doon Engineering produced a commercial version for Allcraft for many years. Since Lee’s retirement, Betty has been searching for a new maker, so I approached Bill Fretz about making the spiculum hammer. The new proportions and weight of the Ultimate Spiculum Hammer afford exquisite control and exceptional accuracy. Thrilled with this hammer, Betty and I have designed additional hammers to be made by Bill Fretz, to make a set of shell forming hammers. The set is currently in development. The Ultimate Spiculum Hammer is now available from Allcraft Tools, in New York.
Phone: 800-645-7124 Email: allcrafttools@yahoo.com

A Flared Spiculum---from an exercise in the book in progress
by Cynthia Eid on June 2, 2009

After 3 days of Creatively Fold Forming Argentium Silver at Metalwerx, May 2009
Recently, I had the pleasure of teaching this workshop at Metalwerx, in Waltham, MA. We had a great time, and I thought I’d share some images from the workshop. As usual, the group had wonderful variety in ages, experience, and personality. Some people tried to make a sample of each technique demonstrated— others focused more on finishing a few new pieces using new knowledge. (You can click on each image to see it larger. Click again to see it even larger.)
Cynthia
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The fold forming demonstration samples (I can't find the fusing and soldering samples!)
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Kathy Colleti's fold formed Argentium Silver jewelry
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Kathy Coletti's bracelet--line folded and forged Argentium Silver
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Kathy's folded Argentium Silver with fused granules
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Kirsty Ball's fold formed Argentium Silver jewelry
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Laura Chalifoux was our amazingly helpful Teaching Assistant!
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Jeanette Dugas' Fold Formed and Fused Argentium Silver jewelry
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Barbara Gross's fused AS, anticlasted fold form, curved scoring AS,
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Karen Karon focused on finishing two pairs of fold formed Argentium Silver earrings immaculately
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Judy Schacter's fold formed Argentium Silver work
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Corinne Steigerwald's Fold Formed Argentium Silver jewelry included a bracelet-in-progress
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Ellen Tompkins's fold formed Argentium Silver work
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Rebecca Scott's fold formed Argentium Silver work
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Roberta Warshaw's fold formed Argentium Silver jewelry
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Curve scored Argentium Silver with fused granules by _______? (The answer is: Karen Karon! [comment below])
by Cynthia Eid on April 12, 2009
- 24K Kum Boo was applied in a pattern that suggests the ripples that would form if this were a pond, and a pebble had dropped onto the still surface. The reverse side shows the pebble at the bottom of the pond—a secret surprise for the owner, or an intrigued viewer who examines the bowl carefully, turning it over. This bowl is 10″ by 5.5″ by 1.5″. It is formed of 18 gauge/1mm thick Argentium Sterling Silver. Some pieces move ahead in “spurts”, with long periods of lying “fallow” in the studio–waiting for inspiration, opportunity, or a deadline to provide the impetus for finishing. This bowl was begun over a year ago. After forming, it sat around, waiting for time and inspiration. Then, Paulette Werger showed me her method of doing Kum Boo and I began applying slivers of hand-rolled 24K gold. After another time lag, the bowl was completed for Mobilia Gallery’s show, “Heirlooms of the Future”, which will be exhibited at SOFA-NY this coming week.
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- Pebble in a Pond-Argentium Silver bowl with 24K Kum Boo

View of Bottom, showing the Kum Boo “pebble” that caused the “ripples” and “waves”

Detail view
by Cynthia Eid on March 2, 2009
Some time ago, there was a discussion on Orchid about how to attach a commercial barrette finding to the back of a hand-made barrette. I tried to describe my method, but, words are never as good as a picture. Here are photos of both front and back of a barrette that I recently finished.

Barrette- Forged, with Marriage of Metals
The “frame” of this piece is forged Argentium Silver. The interior section is marraige of metals made with AS (Argentium Silver) and nugold (also called jewelers’ bronze, or red brass).
Here is the back view:

Barrette finding is attached with wire
[click to continue…]
by Cynthia Eid on November 22, 2008
Recently, I finished a neckpiece, and took it along to a family reunion. 
While showing it to a cousin, another relative came by, and suggested, “Oh, it looks like it could work this way too!” “Hey, cool!” we think. It looks good on my cousin both ways! She likes the idea of being able to have two looks with one piece of jewelry, too. The problem is to make it hang well in both orientations, AND be easy for her arthritic fingers to manage. Here is what I came up with for the pendant orientation. It needed a pearl drop as a visual “punctuation mark”, and an M-shaped component which makes it hang correctly, and makes it easier to hook the parts together. These two items are left at home in the jewelry box when she wants to wear the piece as a choker.

Sea-ish XIV
by Cynthia Eid on November 10, 2008
by Cynthia Eid on November 4, 2008
I’ve just received an invitation to teach two workshops at the The Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre( JIIC ), which is part of The Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery.http://www.jewellery-innovation.co.uk/ I’ll be teaching two 5-day Short Courses (British for “workshop” is “Short Course”). I’m excited! I taught a hydraulic press short course/workshop in 2005 and really enjoyed it.
At many schools that I have visited, the metals department is in the basement of the building, or in a tiny, dark area. In contrast, the school in Birmingham has its own new building, which is a large, light-filled contemporary building, with an atrium in the middle, and beautiful gallery. There are THIRTEEN studios! It is really a wonderful place. They have FOUR Bonny Doon presses! However, guess where they are—-yup, you guessed it: in the basement. It is a very nice basement, however!
Cooksons is across the street, and other suppliers are nearby as well. Not far away is an intriguing museum—a jewelry manufacturer that has been preserved as it was when it closed decades ago.
I look forward to exploring more of Birmingham, which is a city in the process of changing. When I visited in 2005, I enjoyed walking along the canal every day from my motel to the school. The canal is landscaped, with interesting signs about its history. I liked watching a lock being opened for a boat to pass through. The canal is a lively area for nightlife, with nice cafes and restaurants.
I hope to meet some Orchidians in England next summer! The Microfolding/Corrugation workshop will be July 27-31, 2009. The Hydraulic Press workshop will be August 3-7, 2009.
Cynthia
by Cynthia Eid on October 5, 2008

- Necklace - Argentium Stering Silver, 14KYG, 24K Kum Boo
This new piece is called Changing Sides, because each unit is reversable, and as the necklace is worn, each bead/unit is apt to flip over, and change sides from all-silver with texture to silver with gold kum boo. The piece changes dynamically, as the wearer moves, or chooses which designs to show the world.
Here are views with all the silver sides up, and a mix.

the all-silver side

Changing Sides-mixed