A crafts forum. CraftBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CraftBanter forum » Craft related newsgroups » Jewelry
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Solid Silver Seashell Study



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 27th 07, 05:15 PM posted to rec.crafts.jewelry
Paul WIlson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 17
Default Solid Silver Seashell Study

Folks,
I'm doing an informal market study of the silver seashell market.
In so doing, I went to every jewelry store and department store in my area
and asked to see anything like a seashell in silver. I also googled
extensively. I only turned up a few examples which were not so good --
charms mostly. Some were actual shells "dipped" in metal (paint I suppose)
and others were real shells that were overlaid with foil. Only a few were
solid cast sterling and they were more whimsical than biological.

I'm looking for solid silver cast shells that are so well done you can
identify the species that served as the model. Highly detailed.

Who does that?

Thanks,
PW

Ads
  #2  
Old June 28th 07, 03:36 AM posted to rec.crafts.jewelry
Andrew Werby
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 49
Default Solid Silver Seashell Study


"Paul WIlson" wrote in message
...
Folks,
I'm doing an informal market study of the silver seashell market.


[Are you planning to go into the silver seashell business?]

In so doing, I went to every jewelry store and department store in my area
and asked to see anything like a seashell in silver. I also googled
extensively. I only turned up a few examples which were not so good --
charms mostly. Some were actual shells "dipped" in metal (paint I
suppose)
and others were real shells that were overlaid with foil.


[The "dip" process is more likely to be electroforming/plating than a
paint. There was a lot of this sort of thing coming out of Hawaii a few
years back (leaves were more popular than shells, though.) Nonconductive
organic objects are coated with conductive lacquer, and then a fairly thick
copper coating is built up using the electroforming technique. They are next
plated with nickel, then with a very thin layer of gold. I've never seen the
foil-covered shells you mention, but I suppose that's possible too.]

Only a few were
solid cast sterling and they were more whimsical than biological.

I'm looking for solid silver cast shells that are so well done you can
identify the species that served as the model. Highly detailed.

Who does that?

Thanks,
PW


[I've done that; it's not too hard. One starts by making a rubber mold of
the shell, then one casts wax shells from the mold, and then the wax shell
is cast in silver (with a loop for hanging) by the traditional lost-wax
method, devested, finished, and cleaned. I'd make you some if you came up
with a big enough order to make it worth my while. What do you want -
bivalves, gastropods, limpets? How big? Loose or on chains?]

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com
(he sells silver seashells by the seashore...)





 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Handmade Solid Silver Ribbon Torc www.victoriajane.com Marketplace 0 January 30th 07 10:44 AM
AD - Seashell Orphans Dawn >^..^ Beads 12 June 14th 05 03:52 AM
AD - Seashell Focals and More Dawn >^..^ Beads 6 April 2nd 05 02:19 AM
AD - Glass Seashell Beads! Dawn >^..^ Beads 20 March 26th 05 12:36 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:05 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CraftBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.