Certain skills become a "lost art" for a variety of reasons. The main reason is, of course, that the items produced by these skills become too expensive for the general public to purchase. Copper wheel crystal engraving is such an endangered art. It requires years to master the technique. The crystal items worth the time required for the engraving process are in themselves rather expensive. Copper wheel crystal engraving is an extremely slow and precise grinding process. Various depths and abrasive grits give the engravings their sculptural three dimensional effect. There can be no erasing. It must be remembered that the engraver needs to live in this expensive world. The high cost of such engravings reflects the skill and time invested in the work. Below are shown a collection of several crystal engravings that I have completed over the years. These engravings reflect my attempt to keep the art of copper wheel crystal engraving alive.
The Magician Vase was created for my own pleasure. I worked my way through college as a magician and I always liked the magician design on the place mats at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. The Magician Vase is my interpretation of that design.
The following few designs reflect my love of the Great Southwest.
And now for a few animal engravings.
And finally a few plants.
