Would anyone know how to get in touch with this Lady, Jean Stark?
My hobby is Viking Historical Recreation (the Society for Creative
Anachronism). I would like to fidnd out if she has done any
books/articals I can get on the subject of Viking Period Jewelry
Construction/Ornimentation.
Jim Revells
Sudden Service #5
Natick, MA
Try in care of her publisher. “Classical Loop in Loop chains” is
published by Brynmorgan Press http://www.brynmorgan.com
Also, isn’t she teaching at Wildacres this year?
In service to the Dream.
Elizabeth Schechter
Silverhorn Designs
6400 Baltimore National Pike
Suite #170-A, #445
Baltimore, MD 21228
410-719-8712
If that is the Stark I am thinking of, I think she used to work with
Kulicke (sp?) in new york, who advertises her school in the lapidary
journal. If you don’t have one, I am sure some other Orchidian will
tell you.
(probably will anyway) best to you gregor
Jim,
I read your inquiry on Orchid and I wish I could tell you that I have
written the definitive book on Viking jewelery, but my knowledge on
the subject and involvement are limited. I am interested in ancient
techniques of jewelry making and I have made several Viking pieces,
but I am far from being any kind of authority. There are some good
books on the Vikings that include some of their jewelry, the most
striking and incredible in my opinion being the Sutton Hoo burial
jewels. If you have not seen them, look them up and examine
carefully. The skill is mind-boggling.
Sorry I can’t be more help. Jean Stark
I have just come upon a request for some searching for “Stark.” If
it is Jean Stark you are looking for, I can help. Please write to me
at my own e-mail. She is no longer associated with Kulicke-Stark,
the school she founded with her then-husband Bob Kulicke. (The
school is now called Jewelry Arts Institute.)
Ettagale Blauer
Hello Jean,
I noticed that you mentioned in your post that you have an interest
in ancient jewelry making techniques. I also have this interest an
have been making historically based jewelry for about ten years.
Perhaps you and I and others on this list with the interest in the
ancient techniques can share with one another what they know, and
their favorite source material for One of my all time
favorites is Benvenuto Cellini’s " The Treatises on Goldsmithing and
Sculpture". Currently I am interested in doing some casting of silver
into soapstone molds. Has anyone on the list done this, and if they
have, can they pass on some tips?
Thanks!
Nikki
Jean
There are some good books on the Vikings that include some of their jewelry, the most striking and incredible in my opinion being the Sutton Hoo burial jewels.
It is my understanding that the artwork left in the Sutton Hoo burial
ship was made by Anglo-Saxons and not by Vikings.
References aRe:
Barsali, Isa Belli (1969) Medieval Goldsmith’s Work. Paul Hamlyn,
London, 157pp. Specifically pages 55 & 56.
De la Croix, H., R.G. Tansey & D. Kirkpatrick (1991) Gardner’s Art
Through The Ages, ninth ed… Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego.
1135pp. Specifically pp322 & 323 “Art of the Germanic Peoples”, cf
:“Viking Art” pp324 & 325.
Steer, J. & White, A. (1994) Atls of Western Art History. Facts on
File, Inc., New York. 335pp. Specifically pp 82-85
David in Victoria
Try this site if you are looking at properly Norse jewelry
They seem to have based the designs on various digs. Our local
reference librarian (and Finnish culture expert) swears by them
the kalevala is the Finnish Oddessy and includes the entire Pantheon
and koru means a piece of jewelry.
Alicia
Thanks to all who answerd my request for
If you are interested in Historical Recreation jewelry & soapstone
casting you might try the Onelist Metal Casters List
(Metalcasting@onelist.com) it has a lot of traditional/historical
metalworkers on it. Also check out the Viking Bronze web site
(http://user.tninet.se/~mfx106d/vikingbronze.htm) for other
on casting.
Sutton Hoo is usualy considered an Anglo Saxon site. The Anglo
Saxons are a culturaly related Germanic people to the Norse with
simmilar art work.
For sources on historic methods Anders S�derberg an Archaeologist &
author of the Viking Bronze Web site recomended the following books to
me:
[Hawthorne, J. G. Smith, C. S. 1979. Theophilus; On Divers Arts. The
Foremost Medieval Treatise on Painting, Glassmaking and Metalwork.
New York.] . Written in the 1120�s.
[Lamm, K. 1973. The Manufacture of Jewellery during the Migration
Period at Helg� in Sweden. In: Bulletin of the Historical Metallurgy
Group. Vol 7, no 2. London.]
[Lamm, K. 1980. Early Medieval Metalworking on Helg� in Central
Sweden. In: Aspects of Early Metallurgy. Oddy, W. A. (ed). British
Museum Occasional Paper No 17. London.]
[Brinch Madsen, H. 1984. Metal Casting. In: Ribe Excavations 1970-76.
Vol 2. Bencard, M. (ed). Esbjerg.],
For people interested in Pattern Welded or Damacuss Steel I recomend
Jim Hrisoulas books on the subject. I am also interested in finding
on the “Jewellery Studies” the Journal of the Society of
Jewelry Historians that Jack Ogden talks about in his book “Ancient
Jewellery”.
Hej!
Jim Revells
Dear Nicolina Hull-Campbell
I’ve been doing quite a few replicas of viking jewellery using (more
or less) the ancient techinques.
My favourite sources is a Swedish book on “early medieval metal
techniques” in Swedish, i’m afraid. I do’nt have the book but borrow
it occasionally from our library.
A Dane, Bjarne L�nborg, gave out a book about viking age metal tech
in 1998: “Vikingetidens metalbearbejdning”, ISBN 87 7838 259 9, and
this naturally is in Danish. BTW I don’t agree with the editor on
many subjects. For an example he has a thesis that the vikings were
not able to polish their silver, but would in between burnish it with
a “highly polished steel rod/burnisher”. How did they then polish the
steel rod?
Two pieces of advice about silver casting in soapstone: check the
soapstone first by heating it with a torch. Some types of soapstone
contain some material which makes them break under heat. I tried it
the hard way: i.e. made a form and the moment I poured in the molten
metal I almost had a firework of small parts of the soapstone firing
in all directions. The form was totally ruined and indeed nothing
came out of it.
Next thing is: Just before you pour in your molten metal pour in a
fair amount of oil; - I use normal engine oil (smells ridiculous, so
take care and ventilate well). I have used linen seed oil, which the
vikings had - but it leaves a lot of residuals in the form which is
difficult to remove.
But go on trying and have fun!
Kind regards
Niels Lovschal, Jyllinge, Denmark
@L_F8vschal
David,
You are right. The Sutton Hoo burial at first was thought to be
Viking and that was what stuck with me. But it was indeed
Anglo-Saxon. Thanks for correcting me and also thanks for the great
book references. Have you come across any reference to the identity
of the goldsmiths - their country of origin?? The work is so fine.
Regards, Jean
Jean, I suspect that the Goldsmiths were Anglo-Saxons. I’ll check
in my refrences tonight for other theories, but there are many
fantastic works in silver & gold of styles that were found only in
Northern Europe. The Norse (Vikings), Anglo-Saxons & other Germanic
people as well as the Celts, had very definate styles that show a very
high degree of skill in metalsmithing. There have also been several
archeological sites that have been proven to be production centers for
metal craft (York, Birka & Gottland spring to mind). I have just
ordered a book on Norse goldsmithing that several people I respect
have recomended to me “Birka V–Filigree and Granulation Work of the
Viking Period” - Duckzo ISBN 9174021621. If you are interested in
the Norse & Vikings check out the folowing web sites: Thora
Sharptooth’s web page: Buðgarðr
Gunnora the Viking Answer Lady: http://www.realtime.net/~gunnora/
Viking Heritage Society: http://viking.hgo.se/ The World of the
Vikings: Finest Historical and Modern Buildings in the UK's Cities Fr�jel
Viking Re-enactment Society : http://frojel.webjump.com/
This site is on Sutton Hoo: Sutton Hoo Society:
http://www.suttonhoo.org/
Hej!
Jim Revells
“Olaf’s Plunder”
Thanks Jim, for all the interesting references. I will pursue some
of them. …I suppose the goldsmiths must have been Anglo-Saxon if
the king was, but I am not aware of any other AS jewelry of that
quality. I have a set of very interesting books titled “The Viking
Age” by Paul du Chaillu, published in 1889 by Charles Scribner’s
Sons, that is illustrated with many engravings of all sorts of
things, including jewelry. there are several pieces that include
garnets in gold cloisons very similar to some of the pieces found at
Sutton Hoo. I will investigate this further to see if there are any
references to dates for these pieces. If I find anything interesting
I will let you know.
What does Hej! mean?
Jean Stark
I’d like to add a few words about the metalsmithing, gem and
lapidary aspect of these relics. One expert, John D. Rouse, author
of the Butterworths Gem Book “Garnet,” says, unequivocally: “The
finest garnet cloissone jewellery ever made came from the workshop of
the Sutton Hoo master.”
I haven’t seen much other work in that genre but I’ve visited the
Sutton Hoo collection twice and was swept away by the quality and
artistry of these masterpieces. Some 45 pieces of cloissone work
were found in the burial. It incorporates about 4,000 flat-cut
garnets, polished on both sides, each one individually fashioned to
fit the gold cloissons exactly without glue. They are suspended at
the top of the cells, held in place only by careful fitting. Some of
these intricately-shaped stones are under 1 mm. in diameter! How I
would love to know what tools and techniques were used to achieve such
perfection during the “Dark Age” of the 7th Century.
Garnet cloissone jewelry evolved from the Roman use of garnet
cabochons in medallions, according to Rouse. The use of flat stones
in cloisonne apparently originated in the south of Russia, initially
involving rather large stones that were glued in place. These ancient
techniques were passed on to goldsmiths throughout Europe and
apparently reached their zenith in the Sutton Hoo treasure. After that
the technique seems to have died out.
so bring that “book” on the viking age… Sounds great… getting
near the time,can’t wait…will get my ticket infor to you this
week some time… see you… Oh by the way read the directions in the
lap Journal… The first exampale shound be the 18 ga. and it was
printed as 14ga. and then later on it is also 14ga… oops… I
think… checked your book as I was sure something was wrong… some
where in denmark… But if one reads the box for
directions of things to have it is correct… cal