Introducing - Gulden Holdsworth

Jewelry Discussion
1

Name: Gulden Holdsworth
Email: @padrayla
Address: 3 Thorpe Lane
Robin Hoods Bay
Whitby, North Yorkshire
YO22 4RN

I am a craftsperson currently producing landscape paintings and
I hope to start making my own jewellery soon.

Enamel jewellery, particularly Arts and Crafts jewellery in
silver with gemstones is something which I think is particulary
attractive and this is what I intend to specialise in.

Not having much money, I was recently lucky enough to purchase a
second hand kiln from the early seventies. Unfortunately it has
no manual and so I would be very grateful for help on how to
track one down. It is a Horst Uhlig KG Type ST2 220V max 3000W.
If anyone has an extremely similar kiln of a different make and
can tell me what setting one uses for enamelling copper and
silver and how long one leaves pieces in the kiln I would be
extremely grateful. Also if anyone knows whether manufacture of
the kiln has been taken over by a differeent company or whether
Horst Uhlig is still going that would be a great help.

In return I could perhaps help with valuing jewellery,
particularly English jewellery because I have quite a few books
on the subject although valuing things from descriptions is
obviously unreliable.

2

Hi Gulden – Welcome to this list – you’ll learn a lot. While I
can’t tell you anything specific about your kiln, what I would
suggest you do is just play around for awhile : do some color
tests of your enamels on both copper and silver if you use that.
No matter what the brand, all kilns seem to have their own
personalities…and sometimes they seem to change with the
weather!

There are two books that you should find : “Enamels, Enameling,
Enamelists” by Glenice Lesley Matthews and “Enamel Medium for
Fine Art” by Margarete Seeler. I read and reread both of these
all the time. The first is a very good intro to the medium in
all of its forms, from cloisonne to enameling on electroform. It
covers the basics in great detail, including tools, preparation
of the enamels themselves and the basics of firing. The second
book is what you get once you’re hooked. Her work is stunning
and the she passes along on each page is amazing. You
should also probably join the enamelists society and get their
publication: “Glass on Metal”. Great work and good technical
papers as well.

Laura
lwiesler@att.net