Fierce face!

The germanic art is my main inspiration and the area i am most used to work in. One particular motive seems to be attractive to me very strongly and thats the reason i wanted to look more into it. Its the wildman face, the fierce face or mask. I am not sure how it started, maybe as an inspiration from roman coins and medals germanic wariors were seeing in contact and service of Roman army. Sure thing is that you can see those en face portraits early on in oldest germanc styles. What interests me the most is the merging of the face to fit the environment and style of the entire piece. Bellow you can see the head plate of bow brooch in Nydam style. The head between those two beasts is very reminiscent of roman heads but you can also see how later Style I saucer and button brooches developed from that.

Nydam brooch, gilded silver. photo by Lukasz Dziubalski

Next one is the example of fully developed Style II art on Ultuna boat burial spatha scabbard. While the Sytle II is very international one and spreads over the germanic dominated Europe, incorporating en face masks seems to be very scandinavian fashion. Note how moustache grows to be body of two headed serpent

Ultuna scabbard detail. photo Lindsey Kerr

 The Oseberg burial contained also a cart with human heads carved in contemporary art style. More realistic, but still bearing trance like expression and formal traits like spherical eyes and open mouth.

Wooden cart post, Oseberg burial. photo by Lukasz Dziubalski

Norwegian strap end in bronze shows a fierce face in late Borre style. Note that the basic features are the same, big, circle like eyes, connected brows and the ribbon like moustache.

Bronze buckle in Oslo museum. photo by Lukasz Dziubalski

 Fully developed ringerike mask motive as carved in the antler walking stick terminal (?). Even when the execution is very formalised and the style is very baroque, you can still see the Ultuna face in there.

Antler walking stick head. photo by Lukasz Dziubalski

 Smaller version of face incorporated to a bronze buckle from gotland, easier to see common traits in here.

Bronze gotlandic buckle. photo by Lukasz Dziubalski

 Finaly i attach some of my work utilising the motive. I hope you find the longevity of the motive fascinating and inspiring.

silver inlayed axe head inspired by Bamberg casket mounts

The guard of this sword is replica of the find from swedish  Sigtuna. executed in moose antler.

Ringerike style mask ispired by the above mentioned walking stick

Transitional Mammen - Ringerike style knife handle of my own design.

Into the wilderness

Long overdue, here is the post about work i did for great customer of mine. While i deeply enjoy my historical based work, i must say that being allowed to express myself in free form of illustrative bladesmithing is great joy. We often strive to make legendary blades from myth and stories,  but i find everyday items very attractive.

So here is Rangers set, packed to the way to unknown

and Myles wrote excelent poem for me again:

Into the wilderness

 Few nights have found me

by the fire in a hall,

a cup in my hand

and kinsmen nearby.

Far have I fared

through forests unknown

where sleep comes uneasy

as I stare in the dark.

Will I wake to the bite

of some beast in the night?

Or the calling of crows

on the cool morning air,

and dawn's bright glow

driving my fear?

I must trust my fate

to my fire and cover,

and when I wake

I will wander again

into the unknown,

into the wilderness.

Artifact from the present - Arctic fire 2013

furnace pic by Jake Powning

I had the most inspiring opportunity to attend the invitational hammerin in Alaska, hosted by Dave Stephens, Shane Harvey and Van Clifton. This years goal was to create an artifact as a collaboration of seven smith from around the globe. The quality of company was humbling and overwhelming - Owen Bush (UK), Jake Powning (Ca), Peter Johnsson (Sweden), J. A. Loose, Michael Pikula, and Dave Stephens (USA) and me.

Long time before the planes took us to Anchorage we decided on design and process. I was wondering how this cat herding experience will go, but everything went smooth in that aspect. I think its because the great respect we feel towards each other as maker and personality.

When we arrived we built the smelter from sand, clay, manure and hay and started a smelt. Owen was responsible for smelting material for our blade and it was great learning experience to watch him work. Calm, proffessional and pleasant approach. Also, big succes of bloom, steel, very compact and nice to forge.

furnace pic by Jake Powning

Then the blade team consisting of Owen, Dave and Michael processed the bloom and forged a blade and also one backup blade from modern materials. The was one set back that made us to forge in wee hours but you will see that that bloom blade survived and shines in glory.

Meanwhile, hilt team (me and Jake) started to work on handle components and also on fittings for scabbard. Jake carved the waxes for guards, ferrules and peen block, i carved the antler parts. Bellow you can see the scabbard slider i carved with almandines and moonstone set in silver bezels by Yul.

Unfortunately casting went bit south, but fortunately, the parts that survived were just enough to go with one of previous design options. We agreed later that it might even been beneficial for the outcome. So i had to carve another two bits, central ring bead for grip and vesica shaped pommel. Yul set stones in both of these pieces.
In this time, Peter Johnsson, who was also supervising all project had his venier scabbard glued, shaped, lined with felt and covered with leather. The assembly part was about to be done.
Here you can see blade mounted with hilt and slider for scabbard.

And we did it! Pictures of finished piece can barely show you the immense energy in this huge dagger, but you can feel part of it.

the best thing - it can be yours! All you have to do is solve the riddle
Whats the name of the blade and Where in the world its hidden?

for more information about the rules, chect project website
http://www.arcticfire2013.com/Home_Page.php

I have to say i learned a lot from all artisans who were there. Even if it may not look so between all laughter and pranks, i had a very spiritual experience. I am sure my work will be better now. I am happy that i had opportunity to contribute with my skill and aesthetics in something that is much more than sum of all parts

Head opener

Or Haufuthupnari  in Old Norse is my newest creation. A single edged sword with H type pommel ornamented in Borre style. I dont want to write here about how and from which materials i created the sword, i would more like to write about the spirit of the piece.
Sword is  powerful statement. Its of course a weapon, tool of grim trade but its also a symbol, a beginning of a story or a hero of one. With this one, i wanted to make a true companion, something trustworthy, what is not embelished or ornamented because you want to show of, but as a representation of the relationship of the warrior and his sword. Is it something he was given by his lord as reward? Did he win it in a fight? did it passed from father to son? This is where i aimed, not the stark military sword for interchangeable soldier, not a high class weapon of Jarl made to order after the latest fashion. Somewhere in between, where you fight but still come home and plough your land and brew your beer.

The name represents not only the obvious physiological meaning but also a learning experience for me.

Myles came up gain with great story  in this poem

Spring Ring

During winter, i had hard time to write my blog, but i feel it will change with spring coming. The nature is still pretty much chained in icy bonds,

but you can feel warmer days are around the corner. I currently work on big project that i will post about later, but i managed to spare sme free time to carve this little ring.

Its a Dwarven mourning ring, made to commemorate fallen friends and heroes in fierce battles with orcs and dragons. Unlike most of Dwarven made stuff, its made out of organic material - in this case a troll tooth. I think it represents the fact that the forge and furnace are off and without the living flame.
Have the most beautiful spring time and await a new post soon

Fiddle in Trewhiddle

As i wrote before, i really love to work within the boundaries of old art styles, mainly those of our germanic ancestors, i must  alsoadmit that i find a strange pleasure to explore those styles which are a bit less popular then notorious Jelling and Urnes style. There was already a post about the Salin I and II styles, this time i would like to write a little more about my work in Trewhiddle style.
The style is named by a hoard of silver objects found in Cornwall and its a native style of Britain of 9th century. The main body of works in this style is engraved silver with lines filed with niello. I believe that after the previous styles, displaying bold lines in glittering gold, it had to have a intricate and delicate impact on the wiever. The efect is in fact almost tender.

The technique the artist used in antiqity to lay out the design is somewhat you dont see often on todays inspired works. Todays artist and craftsmen just copy a motive and use it on a surface where they think it might fit. Its indeed possible in most styles, but its not easy in any of them. Trewhiddle as many other styles used panneling of the surface of the object, in my opinion to avoid the problem with tying the design over the endless surfaces of cylindrical objects or large spaces of round brooches. In those pannels wee animals were squeezed, legs and wings foldes around fragile bodies.


Here is an example of the seax pommel in the style i made some weeks ago

and this one is small handseax with treqwhiddleish beasts

 these two pictures show my work in trehiddle style in organic materials, the form of the beasts is not the same but they surely are a same family of beasts.

exploring these old styles gives you a wonderfull insight to a mental world and working habits of ancient craftsmen.
Thanks for your patience and if you have urge please comment or ask.

Handmade world

Hello! Long time no post, but not because i had not anything to say! On the contrary, i have several ideas in my mind, so probably there will be a more frequent posting. This post will be unusual a bit, because it features not only my work, but also work of other amazing art and craft folk.

In past few years i develepod desire to fill my daily life with handmade object, instead of machine made ones. It came from the deep love of items made by actual people. To be able to observe the print of their personalities in the object. Its the way how i can communicate with other creative beings, even when i am alone. I want to introduce you to my daily companions and their makers.

First picture shows a pocket knife i made for myself from end of the seax billet and pieces of scrap, but in the front you can see my most recent addittion - corkscrew by my friend and amazing maker Jeff Helmes. The handle is also a case where you can screw the screw in :-)

Here is my cutlery i use whenever i can. A soup bowl and coffee mug made by Mr. Sršeň here in Czech republic. What i love about those, is the fact that these splashes of black are in fact pieces of iron melted into the surface. Also there is a salt shaker i made some weeks ago and  foldable tablespoon mady by my friend Hloh. The teaspoon is made partialy by me and by Hloh again. Its a socket construction

These days its good to stay warm, so i have these fingerless gloves and wollen cap, made by my lovely wife in naalbiding technique. The blues scarf is present from Mrs. Longmire, a wife of my great Tennessee smith friend.

You can realize the quality of handmade object in every step, quite literaly in these boots made by my friend from six years old Benjamin Hrubeš. The toggle is mady from horse hoof, which i found lovely appropriate. Shoes are pictured together with a belt he also made for me, featuring the antler carved bucke i made for the project.

 Last but not least, here is a sketchbook, handbound and painted by my amazing artist friend Hela Rosova. I hope that spirit of her work will help me drawing the ideas for new work.

These were just some of my daily companions, everyday using of objects made by hands of individual person, with the love and understanding of the craft has unspoken warmth, which can be hardly provided by stuff stamped in one of Sarumans machines.

Hand make your world!
Hloh - http://knivesbyhloh.blogspot.cz/
Jeff Helmes - http://www.jeffhelmes.com/
Hela Rosova - http://hellanim.deviantart.com/
Benjamin Hrubeš - http://www.diebooted.com/
Mr. Sršeň - http://www.fler.cz/martin-srsen