I have recently completed a few more inlayed spindle worls in a variety of interesting alloys and patinas. I plan to post images of a new one every few weeks until images of all of them are on line.
Author: billmetalsmith
Bill Dawson, Metalsmith
More spindle whorls
I have recently completed a few more inlayed spindle worls in a variety of interesting alloys and patinas. I plan to post images of a new one every few weeks until images of all of them are on line.
Hazelnut spindle
We are past the solstice and looking to the coming seasons. When outside on these short and drizzly days, I notice that the Beaked Hazel catkins are starting to come out, and my mind turns toward next Summer, ehrn they will have turned into delicious little nuts, wrapped in their long husks. I forged this spindle from copper, and thickened the rim rather quite a bit. On the top I carved a pattern of hazel leaves and stems, with inlayed buds of various Karats of green gold. On the bottom I set a standing inlay of fine silver, in the form of the ripe nuts. Like most of these the patina is achieved by cooking the whorl in a solution of copper salts, but unlike with the Football Spindle, here I also sooted the copper several times, rubbing it into the grain of the copper. This shows off the texture of the leaves well.
golden oak leaf spindle
As I rake up the fallen leaves, I think of an oak tree that grows near a river in the mountains where I come from. I forged this whorl from water cast shakudo, and carved an image of that tree on the bottom side. Then, on the top, I worked the fallen leaves in gold inlay, which stands out against the dark patina on the shakudo.
Football Spindle
Not long ago my father passed away, and so it has been a while since I have loaded any new images. Given that, I thought this one would be a good choice. When I was sketching ideas for spindle whorl projects, my daughter asked: “Can you make one with Seinor Eskileto playing football?” So I drew a sketch, she liked it, and I made it. The whorl is copper, with silver standing inlay with shakudo in the eyes of the skull and on the markings on the ball. The skeleton is carved directly into the copper.
Iron Plumb Blossom Spindle
The weather is warming and the plumb trees are in bloom, so I’m sharing pictures of my most recent spindle whorl. Some time back I was given some antique iron with an interesting grain structure. Most wrought iron has a sort of fibrous texture throughout, however this iron has a structure of overlapping flat plates, a little like pine bark. I found that when forged at a somewhat lower heat, and then etched, it creates a surface that resembles plumb or cherry petals floating on water. It is otherwise quite soft and workable, so I decided to etch the bottom, and inlay plumb blossoms and leaves on the top with gold and silver, which stand out when the iron is darkened with green tea.
Shibuichi rose spindle
I forged and carved this spindle whorl from 20% silver shibuichi which I had water cast. The “seeds” in the center of the rose are fine silver and the nunome wolly bear moth is fine gold. The colors on the metal are achieved by cooking the whorl in a solution of copper salts, and then waxing the surface.
New Brooch
Having sold the disc brooch that I wore for over ten years, I decided to make a replacement. This one is a bit larger, at 95 mm diameter, with many small silver bosses. In the cut out areas I have carved stylized dogs chasing rabbits. The central rosette, the four trefoil motifs, and the laurel leaves are 24K gold inlay.
Change of address
Please take note: My mailing address has changed to:
Bill Dawson
2103 Harrison Ave. NW Ste. 2.
P.M.B. #341 Olympia, WA 98502
My email, ‘phone number, and all other contact information remain the same, so feel free to call, text, or email me. I take the privacy of my customers very seriously, so do not use comment boxes on this website to place orders, as information there is public.
Welcome
As you can see I continue to add to my web site. I am coming back to metalwork and teaching after the epidemic, and having to rebuild my house. It is very good to be working in my studio again, not to mention again living indoors. I will continue to post more detailed pictures of my work, and try keep everyone informed about shows, workshops, and other events that I will be a part of.
Bill Dawson, Metalsmith 