Greetings from Poland

[karoljozef]

Please forgive me boldness that I am here.
I am not a engraver.
I am a jeweler.

I take a very different fields of handicrafts and sometimes I need to something engrave...

I do not have sufficient knowledge, experience, tools but I have a passion for fighting.

Below I would like to introduce one of my many works.

I made everything myself. I even polished rubies.
Eye of snake is made of orange sapphire.

Could you please strict assessment. Thank you!

[Chapi]

Wow, that's very nice! I don't think I've seen anything like that before. Welcome to the forum!

[chickenscratcher]

I too am jeweler and this is a really great work. Thedesign is very imaginative and work is high skill. I am lapidary as well and not sure if I see a line for a pupal in the eye. I love the skin. Were do you get your rough gemstone. You have come to the right place for engraving the craftsmenship here is from all over the world in one place....chickenscratcher

[mrthe]

Hi great work congratulations! Welcome to the forum!

[Titian]

Awesome work...

[SEngraver]

Originally Posted by karoljozef

Please forgive me boldness that I am here.
I am not a engraver.
I am a jeweler.

I take a very different fields of handicrafts and sometimes I need to something engrave...

I do not have sufficient knowledge, experience, tools but I have a passion for fighting.

Below I would like to introduce one of my many works.

I made everything myself. I even polished rubies.
Eye of snake is made of orange sapphire.

Could you please strict assessment. Thank you

Hi karoljozef,


You work is brilliant and very beautiful !!
With work like you have the right yo be bold and may I also Welcome you To The Engraving Forum,good to have you here,

Thank you for the good pictures, look forward to seeing more,

SE

[Daniel Houwer]

Wauw, great stuff there!
I am a jeweller too and I really like the pendant.
You would be so happy to add a lindsay airgraver to your workshop.
With your "passion for fighting" you will be able to work with it before you know it.
Great to have you on board.
Daniel.

[karoljozef]

I am very glad that experts write such kind words about my humble work.

Thank you!

This forum is directly related to art and inventions of Mr. Lindsay. It is high-end.

As I mentioned earlier I can not be called an expert in the field of engraving - just sometimes I need use the graver.
First, in my job I deal with a very widely understood jewelery.
Treatment of the three main groups of materials - metal, stone, wood - poses many challenges.
I started from zero, even below zero...
My eternal problem is deficiency of tools.
From this small number, which I has, more than half is my production.
For example - gravers. I have only a few swiss or german.
But the best that I have are the ones I made from old razors and carbide drill bits.

I still have some engraving work, so if you will permit...

This ring was made in lost wax.
But at the beginning, gold was a very wide margin.
I wanted to cleanliness the drawing, so all carved in a substantially flat surface.

[Jroettger]

Very beautiful piece. The diamonds appear to be antique and set in silver in an antique manner. I usually only see setting done like this in 19th century work.

[Steve Lindsay]

Beautiful work!!! Welcome to the forum Karoljozef

[karoljozef]

Originally Posted by Jroettger

Very beautiful piece. The diamonds appear to be antique and set in silver in an antique manner. I usually only see setting done like this in 19th century work.

You are right! Congratulate, the expert knowledge.

Yes, diamonds are in antique cut. I set them in pure silver according to the rules of old-time craft.

I thought it would be bored if both sides of pendant would be the same.
So invented a snake.
The most important matter in case of this work was to provide security for the stone.
The whole is held mechanically -stone has a hole, the wire passed through it, which is riveted at both ends (on the tongue of snake you can see one of the heads, the second is hidden under the diamond).
Of course I used a glue but only as an additional sealing.
I am probably most satisfied with the eye -it has even the pupil.
I wanted to create a scary monster as possible.

I apologize for my exotic english.

[karoljozef]

Originally Posted by Steve Lindsay

Beautiful work!!! Welcome to the forum Karoljozef

Master! Not even you guess how much this means to me...

For many years, I admire your works. And today I read such words from you.
I am very grateful!

Regard

[simonienko]

Śliczne prace! Jestem pod ogromnym wrażeniem. Wąż jak żywy!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Beautiful works! Stunning. I love it!

[SEngraver]

Originally Posted by karoljozef

Master! Not even you guess how much this means to me...

For many years, I admire your works. And today I read such words from you.
I am very grateful!

Regard

Hi Karolijozef,

Your work is natural,and in many cases its put in a saying " He was born with it " in a some instances I have seen that in patrons on this forum.

These links will be informative ;

http://www.engravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=419 - This has been compiled by Mr.Steve L

http://www.airgraver.com/Hand_Engrav...s_Overview.htm


All the Best
SE

[karoljozef]

Originally Posted by simonienko

Śliczne prace! Jestem pod ogromnym wrażeniem. Wąż jak żywy!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Beautiful works! Stunning. I love it!

Witam Krajana!

Gratuluję Twojej Muchy! Śliczna.

[karoljozef]

Now, my inlay work. A little untypical.

Long time ago I had the honor to assist as restorer in the most important Polish monastery.
Among the numerous works, which I was doing, was a picture, repoussé silver plate.
It was a very old and a valuable object, it may have been from 18th century.
On board was an added element, below it was a large emptiness.
I got the crazy idea - it would be fun if there was something you can find.
Of course, unfortunately there was nothing, just lots and lots of dirt.
I decided that I will place such a treasure there, what I could have dreamed...
At that time, were Christmas. So I had literally a few days to do something.
An object, which I planned to do, needed to be believable.
First, it had to look like an object of those times (old technology), on the other hand, had to be semantically related to the place.
I chose an image the Madonna and Child.
Then, I chose the technique - the most difficult that I could choose, but also the most beautiful which I have known. I admired it on the eastern saddles gained by our king - Jan III Sobieski. He saved the whole of Europe from the Turks at Vienna in 1683.

My Mission Impossible was completed...

I was looking for long the best example, in the end I chose the drawing of Raphael.
Stone is Polish chrysoprase - I cut it from the raw rock.
Please, look at this with understanding. I had only three days for all. I did it the first time in my life.
Finally, when everything was ready, I had to do antySPA for pendant - scratches, breakages, smeared with tar like mixture...

Why all that fun?
For one man. For the Monk, who is the custodian of of the monastery, a great connoisseur of art, mainly goldsmithery.
My pendant was to be a present for him.

When I returned to work after Christmas I made crazy show.
I said: "Father, look, I found a surprise in the picture!"
Believe me, see his face when I showed him a messy bundle was priceless!
It was an old leather wrapped, I added even a seal.
When he was opening it, his eyes become bigger.
Then I achieved the objective of my dream!
He is a scientist, researcher, had many such situations, I wanted to him to deliver just one more pleasure.
I know, I'm dishonest. Some may say that I wanted to sneer from this man but this is not true. I respect him very much. After all, I told him my intentions and he was not angry at all.
But before that was a dramatic and unexpected moment...

When he examined the the object asked me carefully about circumstances of the finding.
I no longer stand it and I told him the truth: "I just finished it yesterday".
I did not expect his response: "How dare you lie so brazenly!".
At the first moment, I was stuck in the pride. But later he was becoming more furious and I was more terrified, and I began to realize what fuss I have done. This was a regular row.
Finally I said that I have a photographs which I took from the working.
Suddenly, instead of screaming he began to really laugh. I was rescued...

very sorry for the longish story

I know, I clutter up Forum. Forgive me.

[Daniel Houwer]

Haha, thats no clutter on this forum!!
That is a wonderfull story sir
It is pritty much dangerous grounds you were walking on though, making fake antiques can become a problem when you dont ever tell what you did.

Our historical metal group made some bronze axes and even a coin die for a viking coin that are made in the same manner as the originals so its hard to tell the difference. On the coin we did add our HMK as the name of the group though, but in germany or england we would be arested as counter fitters we heard later.
And specially historians wont be able to laugh at jokes like this after they said it was an original

[karoljozef]

Dear Daniel,

My story applies to something completely different.
I did not do any fakes.
Where is this item that I allegedly counterfeited?
I made totally new object. It was kind of joke, reason to tell an anecdote.
It was my gift for a good man. I only received in exchange his smile, and it was for me the greatest reward.
Where is the crime?

[Daniel Houwer]

Hold your horses my friend!
Im not saying that you made a counterfit, but making an item that historians might think of as a 200 year old piece is very close (that was your joke right?)
I am sorry that I didnt choose my words more carefully. Words can easily be misunderstood on an international forum like this.
I love your story and the pendant you made.

[karoljozef]

I am sorry too.
The main cause of this misunderstanding is my poor english.
I am very pleased that however you like my pendant...

[PAULIUS]

Witam Pana serdeczne na forume.
Wspaniala praca!
Cuz wspolnego mam z Panem...

[karoljozef]

Istotnie, mamy trochę wspólnego...
Cieszę się, że odnajduję na tym forum bratnich fachowców!

Proszę napisać co to za kamień w Pańskim wisiorku.

pozdrawiam

[PAULIUS]

To jest nephrit canadyjski.
jestem z Wilna, litwin, ale mieskam 32 liata w Americe.
//www.lantuch.com//

[karoljozef]

! ! !

Odwiedziłem Pana stronę.

To jest najlepsza biżuteria współczesna jaką dotychczas widziałem.

Czapkę zrzucam z głowy przed Panem...!

P.S.
Mam dla Pana prezent-zagadkę...co to jest?

[karoljozef]

new delivery...

a set of old diamonds, onyx, coral, white gold

my variations on a theme the lotus flower

[Daniel Houwer]

Wauw, thats awesome dude

[karoljozef]

...

[karoljozef]

as some young lady sang: "especially for you"



Please do not ask why I had such stupid idea for stone setting construction...
...and do not ask how I soldered this mess - I have no clue!

[PAULIUS]

Originally Posted by karoljozef

! ! !

Odwiedziłem Pana stronę.

To jest najlepsza biżuteria współczesna jaką dotychczas widziałem.

Czapkę zrzucam z głowy przed Panem...!

P.S.
Mam dla Pana prezent-zagadkę...co to jest?

Czesc!
Jest to repousse w style rococo czensto widziane na koscielnych obrazach. Jezeli to jest Panska praca, tez zrusham kapelusz i solutuje!

Let us write in english, please, my polish is very rusty after so many years of immigration.

[karoljozef]

solution of the riddle:



I would like to be the author of this work...but unfortunately I am not...
Although I have done very similar, it was related to the work of conservation.

Dear Sir, Gerbiamasis Pone!

I do not know how express my happiness that I can now talk with you, Sir.

A long time ago, I accidentally bought Kettner's catalog of year 2005/2006.
Believe me or not, once every few days, I constantly watched one picture. And now, after the lapse of a few years, I realized that it is your work of Art, I hope so...!



This bit of paper with one picture to me was the bible of engraving.
I was looking very long for the best works.
And this is ideal. First - the design. Second - the execution. Perfect harmony.
We see a lot of works - but in fact very rarely both conditions are fulfilled.
I read your interview. You had the good fortune, you had a chance to see good art and learn it, in home town.
I learned goldsmithing (and I'm still learning because it will never be ended process) in the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow. They have a lot of Eastern art, at its finest. I will never forget the exhibition of Augsburg's craft, too.

Let me ask you if you have designs, patterns decorating of the walls, and pictures of other various objects from Pompei?

I am very grateful.
Pagarbiai

Michał Baran

[PAULIUS]

Of course, Ostra Brama! The memory stroke me on the way to the studio. But it's to late...

I had newer been in Pompeii, but spent a few months in Rome mowing through the emigration procedure. Than a vocations in Florence, all this counts.
It is interesting, how art can influence us. I do the graphic, etcing and engravings, in USA suddenly discovered the book of Ernest Fuchs. What strikes me, was similarity in visions, than I recognize one his etcing, I saw it in the mid 60-th without knowing who he is, but it it impressed me then and make a mark in creative direction.

[PAULIUS]

Of course, Ostra Brama! The memory stroke me on the way to the studio. But it's to late...

I had newer been in Pompeii, but spent a few months in Rome mowing through the emigration procedure. Than a vocations in Florence, all this counts.
Labai Jums dekingas!

[karoljozef]

a little more about the inspirations...
Have you ever heard about Czesław Słania - stamp engraver?

[PAULIUS]

No.

[karoljozef]

http://www.filaposta.com/slania/portrait.php

It is a very good page.

There are quite good pictures, you can enlarge them.

I have a lot of his stamps. I had the opportunity to see also bigger work - breathtaking.

His friend told me that when he was already very old, around 80, being in the hospital, he had pieces of steel, a few gravers and a triplet loupe (in beautician!). He sat at the windowsill and worked...

I asked the man if he uses a microscope. He apparently never used!
He told me that while working in the left hand he held a loupe.

Supposed to transfer the project on the plate, in the company he worked for, they used photographic techniques.
But he also could do it without the aid - simply made a pre-sketching.

[Willem Parel]

Very impressive thread this is Karoljozef, evenso your work is, I like it very much.
Your jewelry is far apart from the ordinairy stuff.

[PAULIUS]

Czeslaw Slania is amazing! Newer saw his works before. Thank you.

[karoljozef]

He was a true genius.

This was real a old school. He was born before the second war.

Whole life, day by day, working.

I suppose you know another Polish genius - Piotr Michałowski.
There was no, in whole history, better painter of horses. Ask the Arabs...

And please imagine that our first hero, Mr. Slania decided to enter into dialogue with Michalowski...

Michalowski made o lot of drawings of horses.
Our engraver decided, that will copy some these drawings!

Please note the most important thing now, of which we have talked.

The perfect combination - the brilliant idea and virtuosic realization.

In this case, the bar was placed almost over the limit of human possibilities...

Occasionally tend to be so strange situations in life like when you win lottery.
Slania's friend gave me one such print!

[PAULIUS]

Amazing!

[Roger Bleile]

The first time I met Paul Lantuch (PAULIUS) was several years ago at an NRA convention in Pittsburgh, PA. When I saw his work I was amazed at his artistic vision. A man asked him to draw a griffon on a Ruger catalog and Paul drew it as easily as I can write my name.

That day I decided that if I ever wrote another engraving book that Paul would be a featured artist. When I got around to writing the next book I was again amazed by the scope and variety of material he sent me. Even though several pages are devoted to his work it is only a fraction of his magnificent body of work. I would love to do an entire book on Paul's story and work similar to those done on Firmo Fracassi, Pedersoli, Pedretti, and Terzi.

We have some of the greatest hand engravers who ever lived visiting this forum and Paul is up there with the best of them.

Some of Paul's work and his story can be seen here: http://www.lantuch.com/

Roger

[PAULIUS]

Roger, thank you very much, I am so flattered, do not know what to say.

[karoljozef]

new, old topic...stone

completely Polish product - our agate (natural colour) and my first exercises in stonework











At that time I was fascinated by the works of Faberge's Team and old chinese jade carvings. So I made something like a kovsh . Unfortunately I did not have a piece of jade and even more jadeite...But this kind of agate is exceptionally charming. Of course, the photos in artificial light do not look good - sorry.

[PAULIUS]

Looks to me more like purple Chalcedony, which is from the same family as Agate. Gracious work!

[karoljozef]

I know purpule chalcedony.
In Poland, we have chrysoprase. In ancient times we exported to the Greeks and Romans...
I have still white and pink variations from other countries.

But it is agate. Exactly half of geode.