Mohican pipe tomahawk

This ‘hawk is based loosely on an original Mohican tomahawk. The symbolic heart is part of the interpretation. What struck me working on this piece is the duality of the  peaceful ceremonial pipe, balanced by the bellicose cutting edge.

Steel tomahawk head mounted on Brazilwood shaft with sterling band. Heart pierced through blade, engraved on both faces.

Sword, ca 1400 AD

This sword is based on a Western European sword, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, NYC. Seeing this sword in person, I got the chills, as it is simultaneously an object of incredible beauty, and also capable of dealing death very efficiently. The blade is just over 3″ long and made of tool steel, with a shank going up through the handle and pommel. Guard and pommel are sterling silver, and the grip wrap is of brass.

The overall length is 4″, and the thong is waxed linen with sterling clasps.

Tree of life

This great old oak tree I have known for as long as I can remember. it has graced this meadow, reaching out, spreading wide, holding its arms open to the skies for a century or more, longer, than I have been around. Through ice storms and high winds, it stands, bending and bowing in the elements. It has been hit by lightning; and like all of us,  its days are numbered. Yet it holds its arms open to the sky.

I am guessing that from ground to top, it is at least sixty feet. It never had to compete with other trees for light, so it spread wide to catch the light rather than reach for the sun. It has the whole sky to itself. I look at the massive branches, some eighty feet long from trunk to tip, and wonder, ‘how, how, how can you hold your arms out for so long, and never touch the ground?’

18Th Century Pins for Sale

Have you been to the  Lewisburg PA for the 18th Century Artisan Show? If so, here’s your chance to get a memento from the show. If you have any interest in 18th Century artistry, you really must plan to attend.

I made up a bunch of pins for the show, to commemorate the event. The image used for the pin is  from an 18th Century American powder horn. These pins are now available directly from me to show that you love the show, like the pin, or just like little metal men.

They pins are individual poly bagged for safe and scratch free travel. The back is a short straight pin, with a clutch back to retain the pin in your hat, lapel or shirt, dress, pocketbook, shooting bag, oh, the options are endless.These are 1 3/8″ tall, cast of pewter, and totally lead free.

Price, $10 each, plus $2 shipping and handling. Please contact me at tcurran@fairpoint.net for volume orders or any questions you have. Contact me here.

In the above photo, rifle by Tom Curran, hunting bag by Eric Fleischer.

Relic

From the a mudbank deep within a Greenland fjord hails this pin, a remembrance of early world travelers, a friend lost, a Viking outpost slowly dying out…..

This pin is made of bronze for the hull, and sterling for sail. The hull is shaped and carved of thick bronze, filed thinner at the keel and stems. One end is sculpted into the feared dragon’s head, and the stern is carved into the tail.

At one point the Vikings traded and warred all over Europe, deep into the Mediterranean, and all the way into North America, via Ireland, Iceland and Greenland.

This is a one of a kind pin, 1 5/8″ long, signed and dated. Made by Tom Curran, 12/15/2008

Jason and the Argonauts

I made this pin with ‘artifact’ in mind. Someone may have found such a piece in a discarded toga on the shore of Crete, thousands of years ago. This pin has a body of iron, inlaid with silver sail and 24 carat gold for the hull.

This precious metals are built up wire by wire into a pocket that has been roughed up to receive them. The ‘tooth’ of the roughing really does ‘bite’ into the wire as they are tapped into place. The wires are all pounded flat to really set them into the teeth, then filed flat and burnished smooth.

(click on picture for a larger view)

Here is a close up of the toothing process, where the chisel cuts cover the entire floor of the cavity. The pattern was chiseled three times, each pass at 60 degrees to the other.

Battle Shield brooch

Wear this for protection? In this day and age, you must be prepared. This shield uses the Celtic knot as a central theme, inlaid in fine silver, with three finer tringular shapes inlaid in 24K gold. The central boss is brass, and the body of the pin is steel, polished and fire blued. The back of the pin has a sterling catch, and nickel pin for strength. Diameter is 1 5/8″. The steel body will rust eventually, turning slowly brown, with bright highlights from use. The silver and gold will stay bright. This piece should age beautifully.

A dagger to the heart

This is a real dagger, though it’s only 3 1/4″ long. The blade is hardened high carbon steel. The grip is horn, the guard and pommel are sterling silver. The sheath is formed steel, very thin, silver soldered together. This is a close copy of an 18th Century dagger. Used for self protection or intrigue, the dagger and sword were part of daily dress. The original has a 6″ blade.

The sheath has a retainer clip to keep the blade in place when not in use. Perhaps you could spear the olive from your Martini with a sinister flourish, just one of thousands of possibilities…

A griffin pin

This pin is based on a carving found on an original 18th Century Pennsylvania longrifle, by Christian Oerter. Known as the ‘Griffin gun’ for its spectacular carving, this is a true piece of American folk art. I have made a faithful rendering in sterling of this fabulous carving. This unique piece is engraved, sawn, polished and assembeld entirely by hand.

Axes as jewelry

Tools are an integral part of what I do; they are extension of my hand, and yes, of my brain. Each and every tool of humankind was created for a specific use. Some tools are quite beautiful, and these are the ones that appeal to me. Some are weapons, while others are simply tools.

Axes are definitely weapons, though their roots go back to simple tools for working wood. I was at the Metropolitan Museum a couple of weeks ago, and saw their collection of Greek and Roman artifacts. In the cases with Greek pottery shards and jewelry I spied some miniature double bitted axes, similar to the one below, hence the inspiration. This axe has a sterling chain and clasp.

This axe represents an American pipe tomahawk, from the 18th Century Colonial period, used for ceremonial purposes. Shown alongside a worn out English George III penny. Linen cord with sterling clasp.

These I made from steel, with wooden handles. They will rust, getting more realistic with time and wear. The handles are Brazilwood, or pernambuco, a wood used for making violin bows and for making a red dye in the 18th Century. The handles are riveted through the axe heads to make a permanent fastening, without the use of any glues or adhesives.

Each axe is approximately 2 1/2″ tall, entirely handcrafted, a one of a kind object.

Ah, and the edges are not sharp, they are just polished to look that way.