I have several unusual gravers, and hope that someone out there may
be able to shed some light on their possible use. I have 3 bent
liners, with the lines cut on the inside edge of the curve. In
other words, they are “inside out”, from their usual orientation. I
have heard from another engraver that they had the same type of
inside out gravers, but theirs were a round, and an onglette in
shape. They are all manufactured by the E.C.Muller Company, and in
both cases, purchased as part of a lot of close-out gravers. The
only thing I could think of for their use might be for ornamental
work on large diameter bowls, sort of like the old-fashioned
repousse, chased and engraved floral pattern borders of years ago.
They definitely won’t cut a flat surface!
Does anyone out there have any suggestions as to what they were
originally used for? I thought the liners were just cut on the
wrong side of the tool, but since I heard about the round and
onglette versions of the same shape, I’m thinking they must have had
some arcane use!
I read the post on the MSN forum too… and I was gonna answer it,
so perhaps you can post my answer over there for me. Just too busy to
do everything at once…
Once upon a time the gravers you describe were not that unusual.
They are not a factory mistake.
They were used as you suspected. To overcome the lips and rims of
spoons, tureens, cups, bowls, and trays. Hardly anyone these days
engraves on these more complex compound curves - partially because
no one knows how, and partially because those who still can do it
really don’t want to…
There is another strangely shaped graver that is used for engraving
inside rings and bracelets. These are bent down and to the right or
left - depending upon where you need to attack from. Marggi
Markowitz mentioned them on the MSN forum, because she just learned
about them here a couple of weeks ago. I had a ring engraving
workshop.
See both types of tools on page 103 of R. Allen Hardy’s “The Jewelry
Engravers Manual.” My copy is a 1976 edition, so I don’t know if
the reprints since then still have them on the same page. (I
started engraving in 1969…)
By the way some of these were made to be used in combination with
chasing tools. I have some photos somewhere showing one of my
instructors using a couple.
I have a collection of these gravers, and given a time when I’m not
quite so busy - I’ll be happy to share images of them and
illustrations of them in use with you or others on either forum. One
graver that I personally made up for a job, actually reaches around
a post that stuck up in the middle of the area I wanted to engrave.
Never used it but that one time!
I was just a few hours ago speaking with my very own teacher, he is
only a young 70! He did use an Onglette #2 for Bright-Cutting as I do
now. But he also left it heavy on the LEFT side for Bright-Cutting on
the left side, I use it on the Right-Side only. I am more comfortable
for the Right-Side…anyone wish to view my “Right-Sided” gravers???
you will see how they can be manufactured EASILY, trust me! I have
two easy to view and understand pictures. He also used different kinds
of gravers for cutting under bridges & over lays with setting
diamonds.
Before he a had a Flex-Shaft (circa <1940) he had to use a “Pump
Drill”, I have his very own and a picture of one. With many kinds of
gravers he had to cut open each and every hole by hand…burs were
not used then in Ireland, he was an …“Irish Setter”…:>) but
worked in Haddon Garden, London England, in the Piccadilly Street
area!
I am to give a seminar workshop with “Metalwerx” on Feb.4-5-6, 2005
just on Graver Sharpening and Pave’ and along with this the
self-same topic stated as above…Gerry!