The Lost Art Of...

[Patrycja]

So, this will resonate however it will, but I couldn't think of a place to put this video, and thought of other types of craftsmanship that seem to be dying arts. I'm not a Luddite, but there's something to be said for a handmade life. Hopefully artisans of all kinds get some well deserved exposure here as well. You never know where the ripple effects will take them...

First, the art of making a book for those of us who love the touch, scent and sight of paper:

https://www.facebook.com/Tenthandfourth/videos/vb.113665462173044/342953712577550/?type=2&theater

[slave to zep]

So, this will resonate however it will, but I couldn't think of a place to put this video, and thought of other types of craftsmanship that seem to be dying arts. I'm not a Luddite, but there's something to be said for a handmade life. Hopefully artisans of all kinds get some well deserved exposure here as well. You never know where the ripple effects will take them...

First, the art of making a book for those of us who love the touch, scent and sight of paper:

https://www.facebook.com/Tenthandfourth/videos/vb.113665462173044/342953712577550/?type=2&theater

Thanks so much for posting, amazing!!

[Patrycja]

Thanks so much for posting, amazing!!

You're welcome, J! Glad you liked it. For my birthday one year, someone gave me a journal, handmade, Renaissance style, and I cherish it.

And now for a craftsmanship of another kind, here is the beautiful work of watch maker Kari Voutilainen:

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/timepieces/observatoire-daynight/details/

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/gmt/zodiac/details/

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/repeaters/minute-repeater-gmt/details/

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/current/gmt-6/description/

"Kari Voutilainen’s natural gift for perfection, coupled with his broad experience and deep understanding of very high quality, antique, complicated watches, are the quintessential ingredients for innovative creation in the art of watchmaking. Not one to satisfy himself by imagined creations alone, he makes all of his creations himself. He is totally involved in every detail whether technical or aesthetic; like a true artist or sculptor, nothing is left to chance."

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-passion/page-1/

Edited June 17, 2015 by Patrycja

[slave to zep]

You're welcome, J! Glad you liked it. For my birthday one year, someone gave me a journal, handmade, Renaissance style, and I cherish it.

And now for a craftsmanship of another kind, here is the beautiful work of watch maker Kari Voutilainen:

Kari intro.jpg

Kari Observatoire Day Night Indication front.jpg Kari Observatoire Day Night Indication back.jpg

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/timepieces/observatoire-daynight/details/

Kari Zodiac1.jpg Kari Zodiac2.jpg Kari Zodiac3.jpg

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/gmt/zodiac/details/

Kari Minute Repeater GMT Function1.jpg Kari Minute Repeater GMT Function2.jpg Kari Minute Repeater GMT Function3.jpg

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/repeaters/minute-repeater-gmt/details/

Kari GMT-6.jpg

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-watches/current/gmt-6/description/

"Kari Voutilainen’s natural gift for perfection, coupled with his broad experience and deep understanding of very high quality, antique, complicated watches, are the quintessential ingredients for innovative creation in the art of watchmaking. Not one to satisfy himself by imagined creations alone, he makes all of his creations himself. He is totally involved in every detail whether technical or aesthetic; like a true artist or sculptor, nothing is left to chance."

http://voutilainen.ch/site/the-passion/page-1/

WOW!!!!

[Patrycja]

Thought this may be of interest: Craftsmanship Magazine.

This magazine was created to explore the ethos of craftsmanship in its widest sense—a journey that we take primarily through stories about the most interesting people in the world who work with their hands. Some are well-known masters, some unsung, some still on the rise. Some are in dusty, old-world shops; some are in laboratories and manufacturing plants chasing the newest of the new. Yet in each case, their work, and often their lives too, illuminate what might be called the architecture of excellence.

At the foundation of that architecture lies a set of principles that sometimes get forgotten these days. These begin with an acute sense of the authentic, and grow from there through a capacity for experimentation based on wide, eclectic experience. They finish with a determination to create something of enduring quality—in other words, as the old saying goes, things that are built to last. Among the questions we examine in this magazine is what it takes to revive those very principles in today’s frenetic, high-tech world.

“We each need to find our own sanctuaries where the focused principles of excellence that have sustained humanity’s creativity for millennia can be protected, and expanded,” publisher and editor Todd Oppenheimer explains in an online interview. These principles, he says, include the following: “Reliability; an open mind; an eye for detail; a capacity for hard work, perhaps even the thirst for it; the personal confidence to admit what you don’t know, and the desire to do whatever it takes to learn it.”

In coming issues, we continue to explore these ideas, and many others, by visiting innovators in the world of food, the art of working in miniature, and masters of craftsmanship in everything from pens to sporting gear; wood to silica; and clothes to music. Some of the artisans working at these pursuits are here in the U.S. Others are hidden in relatively unknown workshops around the globe, where the traditions of apprenticeship, patience and mastery are still very much alive. We hope you’ll come meet all of them with us.

http://craftsmanship.net/about-us/

[Patrycja]

I'm perhaps stretching craftsmanship here, but fewer people, it seems, write letters anymore, so in other Tolkien news, one of his finely penned letters was up for auction:

Before He Was Famous, Guess How Much This Author Sold His Archival Material For?

What an interesting glimpse into J.R.R Tolkien's business! The following clip from Antiques Roadshow features a letter written by Tolkien to William Ready, director of libraries at Marquette University from 1956-1963. The content of the letter details Ready's (successful) attempt to purchase archival material of some of Tolkien's greatest works! And just look at that penmanship...it's almost gothic and reminiscent of his famed novels. The signature alone is beautiful! Find out more about this letter, including its value, in the video below!

1957 J.R.R. Tolkien Letter | Appraisal | Charleston, Hour 3

[Patrycja]

There's beautiful penmanship, and then there's the art of a master penman.

They’re Dedicated To Preserving A Lost Literary Form. But There Are Only 12 Of Them Left!

Becoming a Master Penman is not something that happens overnight; it takes dedication, passion, and years of hard work. At 28, Jake Weidmann is the youngest inductee into this elite society of men and women who are dedicated to the art of long-hand revivalism and his talent is immediately obvious.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS A MASTER PENMAN?

The full, official name of the society is the International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting, or IAMPETH. Yes, it’s a mouthful, but when it’s written out it’s beautiful. IAMPETH is an organization dedicated to keeping the art of handwriting alive.

Their website says that they were created “to recognize members who had achieved a distinguished level of excellence in penmanship and the calligraphic arts – including Business penmanship, Ornamental and Spencerian script, Engrosser’s script, Engrossing and Illumination, Offhand Flourishing and Text lettering.”

There’s a lot to unpack there, but within that sentence is insight into what being a Master Penman is all about; celebrating the many artistic forms that handwriting can (and should) take.

Photo: Scranton Lodge Resolution by P.W. Costello / Via IAMPETH

The title of Master Penman has a long history. Weidmann explains that, “before the typewriter, this was a booming career path, as nearly every major business needed a competent and proficient penman on hand to manage log books, keep records, write policies, and execute certificates.” There used to be schools where one could learn the art of handwriting. But once the typewriter had reached mainstream use in the early twentieth century, uniform letters and typefaces were only a button’s push away and the need for Master Penmen waned.

Nowadays, Penmen are still sought after, if only now for their rarity and high level of skill. Weidmann told The Art Of Manliness that, “many penmen do work for very high-end clients such as celebrities, the President, and even the Pope. The work that I do now lives in the realm of fine art.” Weidmann, as is the case with most members of the IAMPETH, does most of his work by hand, staying true to the art in its original form.

He uses hand-carved pen holders and customized fountain pen nibs to execute his pieces, working carefully and meticulously, often times deep into the wee hours of the morning. Weidmann’s wife says that she didn’t understand how hard the work was or how long a piece took until after she married him. But the hard work shows.

Master Penman Jake Weidmann | HUMAN

With computers diluting our connection to ink and paper, the men and women of IAMPETH remind us how textual expression is an art form. While our brains formulate the words that we’re trying to say, our hand creates the indelible marks on the paper that will represent our thoughts.

Think about it.

Chicken-scratch implies that the writer was in a rush. By taking a little extra time with your longhand, you can change someone’s perception of what you have to say. Just remember: mind your p’s and q’s, cross your t’s, dot your i’s, and appreciate the beauty that is penmanship.

http://writerscircle.com/master-penman/?utm_source=twc-twcfan&utm_medium=social-fb&utm_term=081015&utm_content=link&utm_campaign=master-penman/&origin=

Edited August 20, 2015 by Patrycja

[SozoZoso]

Many thanks for mentioning this topic.

I myself am self taught at calligraphy. I studied the art in school and used to read everything from hand made parchment paper to the Book of Kells. It is a beautiful form of art and is such a shame that it seems to be dying out.

I've tried myself to find some sort of income with the skills that I have currently got, but since computers and printers have taken over.

To be honest, I have had only a smattering of orders for hand written wedding invites, table names etc that it seems pretty pointless nowdays (I hate to admit that)

[chef free]

Most people have absolutely no idea what "hand made" means!

[apantherfrommd]

Many thanks for mentioning this topic.

I myself am self taught at calligraphy. I studied the art in school and used to read everything from hand made parchment paper to the Book of Kells. It is a beautiful form of art and is such a shame that it seems to be dying out.

I've tried myself to find some sort of income with the skills that I have currently got, but since computers and printers have taken over.

To be honest, I have had only a smattering of orders for hand written wedding invites, table names etc that it seems pretty pointless nowdays (I hate to admit that)

I rather enjoy your calligraphy. I'm guessing it takes you a lot longer on the pc than by hand. But I dunno. You're really good with it.

You can still have them professionally engraved, but nothing compares to the craftsmanship in gun engraving from years ago.

Sweet!

Most people have absolutely no idea what "hand made" means!

Right you are chef free.

Rose oak bow

I bet this wasn't easy. I ran across this by accident. Great work.

[SozoZoso]

Oh yes...one of my fav subjects...archery bows!! To be honest, yes it is another dying breed to make them. My ex boss (who is now retired) does wood turning. He makes plates etc but it is one of those skills that can or could be used for the likes of making bows.

A lot of bows that are on the market tend to be mass produce in places like Korea etc....Compounds, recurves etc

[Patrycja]

Most people have absolutely no idea what "hand made" means!

Hand made is one kind of craftsmanship, yes?

Many thanks for mentioning this topic.

I myself am self taught at calligraphy. I studied the art in school and used to read everything from hand made parchment paper to the Book of Kells. It is a beautiful form of art and is such a shame that it seems to be dying out.

I've tried myself to find some sort of income with the skills that I have currently got, but since computers and printers have taken over.

To be honest, I have had only a smattering of orders for hand written wedding invites, table names etc that it seems pretty pointless nowdays (I hate to admit that)

You're welcome, SZ. You know, I truly get the concern of remuneration for one's work, all the more so for those who feel conflicted about giving their time to their craft when the bills are piling up. It's a hard choice to make. Still, there's value in making something and honing one's craft for its own sake, for the pleasure of it, and maybe - because you never know who your creativity will touch - for the pleasure of others as well. There are niche markets out there connecting people who can do something that computers cannot do, give a personal touch, with those who can do it.

Best of luck with the job hunt, and may your creativity energize you

[LIVIN]

Scrimshaw is now a very lost art. The carving of bones, horns, teeth and ivory showed what talented artisans with a lot of time on their hands could produce.

[Patrycja]

The fall issue of Craftsmanship Magazine is now available!

     - The King of Cake

     - The Soul of the Italian Shoe

     - The Art of Alcohol (three articles dedicated to various libations)

      - Printing with Love

A couple of videos related to the printing article: one about Arion Press in general (similar to that found in the original post, but in greater detail), another about Arion printing Whitman's Leaves of Grass for its 100th book.

 

In this video, part of a series on “Raw Craft” produced for Balvenie whiskey, Anthony Bourdain tours Arion and marvels at “some of the most beautiful books ever imagined.” (http://craftsmanship.net/the-art-of-letterpress-printing/)

 

This short film follows Arion as it produces its 100th book, a re-issue of the first edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.” (http://craftsmanship.net/the-art-of-letterpress-printing/)

 

Eating, drinking and reading in style. A perfect day.

Check out these and other articles at http://craftsmanship.net/ Thanks!

 

Edited September 23, 2015 by Patrycja

[Disco Duck]

Scrimshaw is now a very lost art. The carving of bones, horns, teeth and ivory showed what talented artisans with a lot of time on their hands could produce.

 

Have you ever been to the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Mass.?  They have a scrimshaw collection.  

[Patrycja]

Collector's Weekly has an article about the history and lure of tarot cards, along with some photos chronicling their creation in different times and places. Here is an excerpt:

Tarot Mythology: The Surprising Origins of the World's Most Misunderstood Cards

By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — June 18th, 2014

 

The Empress. The Hanged Man. The Chariot. Judgment. With their centuries-old iconography blending a mix of ancient symbols, religious allegories, and historic events, tarot cards can seem purposefully opaque. To outsiders and skeptics, occult practices like card reading have little relevance in our modern world. But a closer look at these miniature masterpieces reveals that the power of these cards isn’t endowed from some mystical source—it comes from the ability of their small, static images to illuminate our most complex dilemmas and desires.

Contrary to what the uninitiated might think, the meaning of divination cards changes over time, shaped by each era’s culture and the needs of individual users. This is partly why these decks can be so puzzling to outsiders, as most of them reference allegories or events familiar to people many centuries ago. Caitlín Matthews, who teaches courses on cartomancy, or divination with cards, says that before the 18th century, the imagery on these cards was accessible to a much broader population. But in contrast to these historic decks, Matthews finds most modern decks harder to engage with.

“You either have these very shallow ones or these rampantly esoteric ones with so many signs and symbols on them you can barely make them out,” says Matthews. “I bought my first tarot pack, which was the Tarot de Marseille published by Grimaud in 1969, and I recently came right around back to it after not using it for a while.” Presumably originating in the 17th century, the Tarot de Marseille is one of the most common types of tarot deck ever produced. Marseille decks were generally printed with woodblocks and later colored by hand using basic stencils.

Top: A selection of trump cards (top row) and pip cards (bottom row) from the first edition of the Rider-Waite deck, circa 1909. Via the World of Playing Cards. Above: Cards from a                                                                                                                     Tarot de Marseille deck made by François Gassmann, circa 1870. Photo courtesy Bill Wolf.

However, using cards for playful divination probably goes back even further, to the 14th century, likely originating with Mamluk game cards brought to Western Europe from Turkey. By the 1500s, the Italian aristocracy was enjoying a game known as “tarocchi appropriati,” in which players were dealt random cards and used thematic associations with these cards to write poetic verses about one another—somewhat like the popular childhood game “MASH.” These predictive cards were referred to as “sortes,” meaning destinies or lots.

Even the earliest known tarot decks weren’t designed with mysticism in mind; they were actually meant for playing a game similar to modern-day bridge. Wealthy families in Italy commissioned expensive, artist-made decks known as “carte da trionfi” or “cards of triumph.” These cards were marked with suits of cups, swords, coins, and polo sticks (eventually changed to staves or wands), and courts consisting of a king and two male underlings. Tarot cards later incorporated queens, trumps (the wild cards unique to tarot), and the Fool to this system, for a complete deck that usually totaled 78 cards. Today, the suit cards are commonly called the Minor Arcana, while trump cards are known as the Major Arcana.

Two hand-painted Mamluk cards from Turkey (left) and two cards from the Visconti family deck (right), both circa 15th century.

Check out http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-surprising-origins-of-tarot-most-misunderstood-cards/ for the rest of this interesting read.

p.s. the site has many topics, categories and eras that may be of interest to vinyl, poster, textile or comic book enthusiasts, among many others. 

[Patrycja]

I was browsing through The Getty site, and found my way to this video that explains the beautiful silversmithing work of ancient Roman artisans:

This exhibition finished in the summer, but here's more info about Ancient Luxury and the Roman Silver Treasure from Berthouville.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

How about the changing art of photography? Honestly, discovering photos taken during the good old days, when digital cameras and smart phones weren't invented, makes me so happy!  Gotta love those lovely black and white vintage photos!  

 

Photographs of everyday life in 1950s New York City discovered in an attic 45 years later

18th December by Katy Cowan in Photography

The vintage photographs you're about to see have an interesting history. They all came from a cardboard box filled with negatives that was unopened and virtually forgotten for over 45 years. When undiscovered photographer Frank Larson passed away in 1964, his wife Eleanora boxed up all of their possessions and moved out of their retirement home in Lakeville, Connecticut. The box of negatives were one of these items, and it has remained with the family ever since, tucked away in storage.

That was until, Carole Larson – the widow of Frank's youngest son David – and her son Soren were sorting though old boxes in their attic and found the negatives.

Soren said: "I had seen a few examples of my grandfather's photography over the years and always admired them – our old family photo albums have a few small prints of his work in them. My father also used to speak with admiration about his father's love of photography and his weekend trips with his Rolleiflex into the city to film places like the Bowery, Chinatown and Times Square.

"But when I opened the box and began to explore what was inside I was truly shocked at the quality and range of the images, as well as the effort, dedication and love he brought to the task. When Frank died in 1964, I was only three years old, and too young to remember this gentle, careful man."

Inside the box were over 100 envelopes filled with mostly medium-format, 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" negatives. The packets were marked by date and location, carefully sealed and left exactly as he packed them 50 years ago. Soren added: "As I began unsealing each packet and holding the negatives up to the light, it was like a trip back in time, back to the New York of the early '50s."

Following the discovering, Soren built a website in dedication to his grandfather, sharing the negatives-turned-photographs with the rest of the world. You can view more of Frank Larson's amazing photography atwww.franklarsonphotos.com.

Via MyModernMet

Source : http://www.creativeboom.com/photography/photographs-of-everyday-life-in-1950s-new-york-city-discovered-in-an-attic-45-years-later/

Edited December 23, 2015 by Kiwi_Zep_Fan87

[Ddladner]

^^^ That's really cool, Kiwi, thanks for sharing!  What a treasure trove to find these photographs, and I love the subject matter.  When I was converting our family slides, I was so grateful that my dad took many photos of every day life, especially when we lived overseas.  When I get past the holidays, I'll post a couple in the Photography thread.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

^^^ That's really cool, Kiwi, thanks for sharing!  What a treasure trove to find these photographs, and I love the subject matter.  When I was converting our family slides, I was so grateful that my dad took many photos of every day life, especially when we lived overseas.  When I get past the holidays, I'll post a couple in the Photography thread.

You're very welcome, Debbie! It is always so fascinating discovering old photographs from a bygone era! It is such a valuable time capsule. I'm really grateful that my mom and dad, took loads of photos spanning the 70's, 80's and 90's, from when my mom and dad first met, to when they were a young married couple and during the years when my mom and myself, sailed with my dad on board ship (for months on end, sometimes even for over a year) due to the nature of my dad's job (he's a Marine Engineer and has almost retired now). Looking forward to seeing your photos in the Photography thread!  

Edited December 24, 2015 by Kiwi_Zep_Fan87
Incredibly Silly Sentence Construction Error. Time To Call The Grammar Police!

[Patrycja]

Even though bookbinding has been featured here as part of letterpress printing, it is its own craft. This video shows the bookbinder as artist. Glenn Malkin of Signature Bindings creates a new binding for The Folio Society's Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's 35 minutes but worth seeing for those interested in the painstaking process and design of quality bookbinding.

Here's a handmade copy of his Out of Africa which won the 3rd Fine Binding award in the Society of Bookbinders International competition of 2011 (via his website):

 

Next is a master bookbinder who also repairs and restores damaged bindings "... in the ancient styles of the great masters, with materials that cannot be bought but are hand made using their exacting techniques and formulae." Paul Tronson of Period Fine Bindings has worked on some of the world's most rare books. Here is his restored and re-bound first edition (?!!!) of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene (1611):

The Geneva Bible:

The last Christopher Barker edition of the Elizabethan Geneva Bibles 1603, bound in the style of the
Royal Binder to Queen Elizabeth I. by Paul Tronson

He also works on grimoires, creating them by order only, and only making one per year. It's an intricate process with the sigils made at the right time with the right materials:

The Guardian Angel Grimoire

More details about its construction can be found here: http://periodfinebindings.typepad.com/guardian_angel/2005/01/4.html

 

If you click on the 'gallery' section of the Period Fine Bindings link on the front page, you'll find the finer points Paul Tronson's creations. Some highlights:

g BOOKBINDING - AN ART FORM

BOOK BINDING AT PERIOD FINE BINDINGS

"It's a noble art," says Paul. "It absorbs many crafts. Even in this age of technology there are many like-minded artisans preserving the values of traditional craftsmanship. Paul also buys, sells and values books and can be found at Period Fine Bindings, Yew Tree Farm Craft Centre, Wootton Wawen, near Stratford-upon-Avon, B95 6BY. His telephone number is +44 (0) 1564-793800

L BOOKBINDING ANCIENT FORMULAS

BOOK BINDING AT PERIOD FINE BINDINGS

He gets walnuts and oak bark and cochineale and creates the colours according to a seventeenth century formula, just as they would have done 400 years ago.

The website is a bit confusing to navigate without a user friendly menu and tabs, so I just wanted to present some features that may be of interest, ones that provide the breadth of Tronson's talent as well as the scope of his work. Here is a page that shows his many bookbinding styles: http://periodfinebindings.typepad.com/bookbinding_styles_by_pau/

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Patrycja

[redrum]

You're very welcome, Debbie! It is always so fascinating discovering old photographs from a bygone era! It is such a valuable time capsule. I'm really grateful that my mom and dad, took loads of photos spanning the 70's, 80's and 90's, from when my mom and dad first met, to when they were a young married couple and during the years when my mom and myself, sailed with my dad on board ship (for months on end, sometimes even for over a year) due to the nature of my dad's job (he's a Marine Engineer and has almost retired now). Looking forward to seeing your photos in the Photography thread!  

Yes, those are awesome photos. He ranks right up there with the best of the old time street photographers. I have recently gotten back into my old film cameras too. I have a Rolleicord, a Nikon FTN, a Nikomat, 3 lenses and a Gossen Luna Pro meter. I am thinking of trying to get a Hasselblad too now that they are fairly affordable. I think I've actually become bored with digital photography. It just doesn't have the same feel as cocking the shutter, hearing that nice sound as the shutter trips and using the light meter. Here's one I took back in the 70's. The original was in color.

[redrum]

PS- The scene above is long gone thanks to development.

[kirchzep27]

Map making, ship building, sailing by sextant and deadreckoning

Glass making, stained glass, bottles, wares

Metal, ironworks, blacksmithing, wrought iron

Carpentery, pre machinery, furniture, house construction, ornamental 

Led Zeppelin, ten years of great heavy rock music

[redrum]

Metal, ironworks, blacksmithing, wrought iron

 

I believe this guy is still in San Francisco.

https://vimeo.com/46128116