IF I KNOW YOU - PAY ME IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY

Brand New Barnes Hand Cut Die - "Misty The Mermaid!"



With the shown Stainless Steel Handmade Ring top - $45 (if you want that fancy Vine and Leaf top - it's plus $20). Pendant is Forged Aluminum.



A - E Mermaids. Smaller ones are $40 with the Ring - Vine and Leaf top is plus $20



Sterling Silver Barnes Repousse' Earrings. $65. (Sterling Wires)



Three Sterling Brooches. With handmade Sterling Pin and Catch. (see last week's Market for detail pic of back)



$125. Traditional Brooch



$125. Tree Brooch



$125. Tear Drop Brooch

Tell us now - pay us later!

Gary and Kelly

Merry Christmas!!!

Hi Gary,
That is some beautiful art work. Thanks for sharing it. I really like the new mermaid.
Have a great night,
Jeff

Thank you Jeff! I appreciate you checking in.

No fishing in the Mermaid Pond now!

Gary

Very nice Gary. Just out of curiosity, how many times do you "test stamp" before deciding you are happy with the die, if at all?

Hi Sal,

Great question. Sure do test. Especially with Character Subjects. I should make a bigger deal of the fact that these are cut 1 to 1. NO reduction. NO pantograph.

For example: You may know that, when the mint makes dies for a new coin, the MASTER is fashioned from a disc about three feet in diameter (IIRC). It's huge. Easy to sculpt detail. I know they used to use plaster. Once the Artist is satisfied, the disc is sealed. Then transferred to a pantograph. A stylus will trace the disc, as it rotates, and the tool head of the machinery will mill the Master Dies, to actual scale.

In the process of reduction, the end product becomes amazingly crisp. Any tiny discrepancy in the huge original, will be reduced along with all the other details. When I cut a die, it's my hand, guiding a tool, cutting to actual size. One off. Now, hand cut a feminine likeness and face, into hardened tool steel. Do so 1 to 1 scale, and do a mirror image negative void.

On the Mermaid Die, I was very pleased with the first press, but I went in and smoothed the cheek/jaw area with diamond stropping. I also altered my press technique, to alter the halo effect which follows the silhouette of the figure. I have Two Test Prints. Guess I should hold out for Big Bucks on those! Since that state of being can never be duplicated again, as the die was altered after they were pressed.

Thanks for asking Sal,
Gary

Thanks for sharing Gary, there is always so much more "under the hood" and I'm always fascinated by the details.

Never know "what's under the hood",

Haha.

Gary

i'll take F please. Maybe alittle delayed but ......
Steve

Hi Steve, "F"

Thank you very much! Glad you like them.

Merry Christmas to yours.

Gary

Here's an example of the double forged Vine and Leaf top ring (from last week's Hooty Pendants).



Here's the Forged Sterling Back Pin and Catch, on the backs of the Brooches.



Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2015 06:38AM by barnespneumatic.