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Thread: Hallmarked Napkin Rings

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    By the way Pat, far from being apologetic, you should be well pleased with all the comments your post has raised. After all, that's what a Forum is for, except during the Ides of March of course. Dennis.
    Absoutely Dennis!!

    Well, I've really enjoyed reading through this thread! Ooooh, and now I'm wondering where to start!! I try to make as much of my work myself, from sheet, wire, tube, including as many and an increasing variety of findings, on pieces such as my brooches I make an additional point in the item description that all parts of the item are made by hand by myself (though some parts of some items I make initially and will have a few cast, for efficiency and reduced costs), i then have to finish this part of the item and add the additional parts to it (not clip on!!), I am learning where and when to use blanks, eurofindings settings like Peter. I don't cut stones or mine my own ore ;-D

    I do think people are choosy and protective of their money and do want to know that they are getting value for their money and something that they are not going to go out and bump into someone wearing the same item. I vary each of my repeat items and I also do limited editions. What amazes me like you Carole, is it's often the boring uncreative, run of the mill stuff that people like!! Also like you Lauren, I tend to make stuff I lwould like to wear and it stumps me why one piece becomes an absolute flyer and another doesn't!!

    Two things I have done......I make my work out of thicker heavier weight sheet etc, people pick items up and their immediate reaction is to comment on the weight compared to other work. Secondly, most of my stones I get professionally set.....not that I don't love setting stones, BUT, firstly I have to make the setting myself, perfectly for the stone, but the setter sets stones day in day out and has done so for years, that's there job, their speciality, and they do it well,..........I'm focussing on 'perfecting' (if only) other aspects of my work.......namely designing and I guess a traditional 'model makers' skills.

    Well........there you go for a start!! Lol.................

  2. #52
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    I think this has been a really interesting discussion as well.

    Something which came to mind which kind of relates to this was finding a necklace on ebay the other day (I am a bit of a magpie for art nouveau enamelled stuff). It was listed as art nouveau, but I recognised it as a Pat Cheney piece because I have the same necklace (though sadly a bit damaged and I'm too scared to try and fix this one). Now I love Cheney's work and I think it is fabulous that you can buy a substantial hand-enamelled sterling necklace for less than a hundred quid. But you can only do this because they are cast.

    However, my PC necklace is actually hand made. I can see the slight irregularities in the hand piercing. Even though it may not have been made by her personally but someone she employed (I have seen about three other copies of this design), I treasure it all the more for being totally hand made. This is to the point where although I'll happily fix an old art nouveau piece which has been mass produced but is now worth £300+ but might end up damaging, I daren't risk it on my PC piece, even though it's worth far less in money terms.

  3. #53
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    Dec 2009
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    That elevates you to the role of collector Liz, and they are every jewellery maker's dream.

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    heh, I have a seriously insane amount of old stuff. Nothing too fancy, I can't afford murlle Bennett or Knox and the like, but I have at least six or seven pieces by the likes of Horner or Fenton at any one time. I occasionally flog em off on ebay when I get too skint but because they were mass produced I can usually replace them at some point.

    I also collect bits of Norwegian/Scandinavian modernist stuff as well. A lot of that was mass produced, but not, I think in the same quantities as say Charles Horner. Again, whilst I'll re-enamel a Horner, I'm loathe to do the same to a Holmsen because they are too hard to replace.

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