Product Description

First published over seventy years ago and reprinted many times over the years, with some updates and additions, this practical book is of interest to everyone who is connected with silver in any way. It explains the basic processes which are used by all silversmiths, whether they be individual craftsmen or mass-producers. Design is treated indirectly, so that the student or apprentice, who is following the lessons in the book will begin to understand the principles and problems of good design as he or she progresses. The principles underlying the use of machines and mass-production are given, although they are not treated in great detail. These machines are important, even to the craftsmen, because they relieve the silversmith of much laborious and dull manual work. However, their powers and limitations must be clearly understood, and the student must appreciate when it is aesthetically necessary to do work by hand. This important textbook, packed with many modern designs of numerous styles for all types of domestic silverware, should be beside every amateur and student silversmith at work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132592 in Books
• Published on: 1993-11-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 212 pages

About the Author
'Mr Bernard Cuzner is perhaps the best known designer-craftsman of the generation which produced Harold Stabler, H.G. Murphy, Omar Ramsden, R.M.Y. Gleadowe and others who are now gone. He has inspired in his teaching and by the standard of quality of all the work he has ever produced, many younger men whose names are now becoming well known.' (From the Foreword to the 1948 edition by G.R. Hughes, Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths). Bernard Cuzner died in 1956. Anthony Elson trained first at Brighton College of Art and then at the Royal College of Art, London in 1963, where he was awarded the Silver Medal for geometrical decoration. He is now one of the foremost designers of silverware in Great Britain and specializes in holloware. He has executed commissions for many of the Livery Companies and created the silver for the Council Rooms of the new London Stock Exchange. Abroad he has produced work for America, Canada, Europe, Nepal and the Middle East. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and a designer of the Royal College of Art.

Customer Reviews

not quite what one would expect
This book is about techniques and form - design construction for large pieces of work that resemble teapots and jugs etc. It is informative, if this is what you intend to do with your spare time - not really my cup of tea!! I like smaller items and jewellery design. This book is not for this purpose, Silversmithing has changed and this book is more focused on the original concept of being a Silversmith.

It is a resource and reference if all else fails - but there are better designed books available. This guy obviously knows his stuff and writes so much. Someone else may value the long drawn out paragraphs of theory as part of a dissertation - it may be useful for that.