Kickin' It Oldschool

In between getting ready for my teaching studio launch, I have been doing some reading.

I got these old jewelry making books from my mom a while back. They date from the '20's to the '60's and are chock full of great information. I am experimenting with vintage jewelry designs and I think a couple of great classes are starting to shape up.

 I wish I could share all of the books in their entirety. They're really interesting.

Coincidentally though, yesterday in my Facebook news feed I saw a link from Ganoksin.com, the great online resource for metal and jewelry designers. Did you know that they have acquired a collection of over 40 old and rare jewelry design books and have made them available for $5.00 each as a digital download on their website? You can view all of them here.

I bought two and downloaded them into my Kindle. I am working my way through Copper Work by Augustus F. Rose 1908.  Reading a book from 1908 really makes me appreciate modern conveniences in the jewelry studio. Here is an excerpt from the book about preparing pickle:

"Pickle is a trade name given to solutions used in cleaning work. Different proportions of acid are used according to the work to be cleaned. For copper and silver a dilute bath of sulphuric acid is used of 1 part acid to 15 parts of water. The solution may be used cold but when used hot it becomes much more effective. When used hot a copper dish is necessary. The object being placed in the dish with enough pickle to cover it, it is then placed over a gas plate and allowed to come to a boiling heat. The pickle is then poured off and the object rinsed in clean water. A dilute solution of nitric acid is used for brass."

Umm, a copper dish? Placed over a gas plate? BOILED??? My goodness, give me the simplicity of a plug-in pickle pot any day. These books are a great peek at the past, however. I am really enjoying reading them.

Stay tuned for some vintage-inspired projects and don't forget to mark your calendars for December 8th. I'd love to see you at the studio and book launch party!