The History of Cuttlebone Casting

Hello Everyone I am badly in need of any one might have
on the origins of cuttlebone casting. I have been casting in the
bone for about 6 years and love the textures that it produces.
However, I keep running into walls when I try to do research on its
origins. I know the bones probably originate from Japan, and most
than likely Australia, but where it all began is a big mystery. If
anyone can point me in the right direction, I would greatly
appreciate it.

Thanks,
Montana Sky Brown
Metalsmith/Sculptor

    Hello Everyone I am badly in need of any one might
have on the origins of cuttlebone casting.  I have been casting in
the bone for about 6 years and love the textures that it produces.
However, I keep running into walls when I try to do research on
its origins.  I know the bones probably originate from Japan, and
most than likely Australia, but where it all began is a big
mystery.  If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would
greatly appreciate it. 

The Pirotechnia of Vannoccio Biringuccio, written in the mid 16th
century, mentions cuttlefish bone casting. The section is brief,
and is written with an air of something being discussed as a
semi-common knowlege. The ISBN of the Dover reprint of the English
translation is 0-486-26134-4. I suspect that it’s a pretty old
technique. There is, however, very little metal work documentation
that predates the 15th century.

Ron Charlotte – Gainesville, FL
@Ron_Charlotte1 OR afn03234@afn.org

Theopolis, On Divers Arts is a 12th century or so treatise about
many different arts of that era, metalwork and casting included. I
can’t recall right off the top of my head if cuttlebone casting was
in there, but it’s very very likely.

    Theopolis, On Divers Arts is a 12th century or so treatise
about many different arts of that era, metalwork and  casting
included.  I can't recall right off the top of my head if
cuttlebone casting was in there, but it's very very likely. 

Nope, he covers lost wax and clay molds, but not cuttlebone. I
suspect he was too far inland to have ready access to the raw
material (he was German by the most likely identification).

Ron Charlotte – Gainesville, FL
@Ron_Charlotte1 OR afn03234@afn.org

Theophilus: On Divers Arts The Foremost Medieval Treatise on
Painting, Glassmaking and Metalwork

Translated from the Latin with Introduction and Notes by: John G.
Hawthorne and Cyril Stanley Smith Dover Publications, New York, ©
1963, 1979 ISBN: 0-486-23784-2

The section on Metalworking begins with tools, workshop, soldering
continues with making a chalice, enamelling it, gilding it, repousse,
niello, copperwork making an organ, casting bells but apparently no
cuttlebone casting still really neat to look through, thus good for
any reference library

erhard

I haven’t been following this thread, so I appoligize if I am
repeating someone else’s post. I don’t know about the history, but
some years back, we stumbled onto a beach on Kangaroo Island that
had thousands of cuttle bones on the shore. What a stink.

Don