Lost Wax Casting Method
This is a centuries old technique, dating as far back as the 11th century in the kingdom of Benin. First, either an original piece is carved in wax or liquid wax is injected into a mould to create an exact copy of the original. After careful cleaning and checking, these are attached to a central bar known as a tree. This is then inserted into a cylinder flask and liquid investment (similar to plaster-of-paris) poured in. The investment is set to bake hard in an oven for ten to twelve hours and during this time, the wax melts and evaporates out – giving rise to the name 'lost wax'. The metal intended for casting is then smelted at high heat until it is molten and poured down the channel left by the evaporated tree and from there into the individual pieces. Once the metal has set, the investment is washed away with water and the cast revealed, ready for the polishing process to begin. Each piece is cut from the tree and cleaned and polished up to six times in varying processes, culminating in a final polish by hand to reveal the gleaming metal.
MATERIALS
Along with silver, brass and semi-precious gemstones, we also use a variety of African trade beads and exotic leathers .
AFRICAN TRADE BEADS
African trade beads have a varied history. The first glass beads were made in Murano, Venice and brought to the African continent by traders for ivory, gold and commodities. The African people had always created their own beads from natural materials and clay, and as far back as the 11th century created 'lost wax' cast beads (see lost wax castings). As trade increased with Africa, the demand for beads grew and Holland and Bohemia began to make glass beads. High value was placed upon beads as a form of ethnographic money, exchanged for gold, ivory and other goods by traders from Europe and Asia. To the local people, the Portuguese traders were known as the "Europeans who scattered beads among the people in front of palaces." Bead-making then eventually passed to production in India and as the African people came to understand the process, they began to make their own beads.
BEAD TYPES
POWDER GLASS BEADS
Glass beads have always been thought to ward off the evil eye and were seen as a symbol of status, wealth and power by African peoples. From as early as 1506, tribes people were seen wearing glass trade beads from Europe. Highly treasured, these were kept even when broken and eventually the concept of making powder beads was realised in Africa. Glass powder was poured into kaolin coated clay moulds with a cassava stick to retain the hole, then heated until the glass sintered and formed a cohesive if rough bead. The earliest powder beads ever found were at Mapungubwe in present day Zimbabwe from around 970-1000 AD, although their origins cannot be confirmed. Glass powder beads are still made to this day in Ghana, using the traditional method.
EUROPEAN GLASS BEADS
Made primarily in Murano, Venice as well as Bohemia, Moravia and Holland, beads were used by traders to purchase ivory, gold, palm oil and slaves. Beads bought in Europe realised 1000% return on investment when they were traded in Africa, so were much favoured. The best examples of these beads are the chevron and millefiori beads. In 1764, 44,000 pounds of beads were being made a week by Venetian manufacturers alone. This mass export has led to West Africa being the greatest repository of antique African trade beads (figures from The History of Beads).
SNAKE VERTEBRAE GLASS BEADS
Glass replicas of traditional beads were made to satisfy the hungry marketplace. One of these types were the glass snake vertebrae imitation beads made in Czech-Bohemia. Although unlike real snake vertebrae in form, they fitted together in the same manner and were highly popular as is evidenced by their appearing on early 20th Century sample cards for traders to purchase. Traditionally, when worn, snake vertebrae were thought to protect the wearer from snake bites. Royal executioners in Ghana even wore python vertebrae.
AMBER BEADS
Amber has always been highly valued to prevent disease, ward off bad luck and to give the wearer courage. Whilst true amber is found in the Baltic regions, the amber found in Africa is known as copal amber. This is amber in the intermediate stage of its’ formation and takes its' name from the Mayan Nahuatl word copalli meaning incense. When heated to check its' authenticity, it emits a resin like odour and melts to a sticky substance, changing colour. Copalamber is found in Congo, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Broken pieces were still highly valued and intricately repaired and worn. In the early 20th century, German 'African Amber' began to be produced, a phenolic plastic. As this technique became more refined, it became hard to identify real from faux without heating and therefore damaging the bead. Regardless of the origin, all types of amber were highly valued.
CONUS SHELL BEADS
These were formed from the shells of giant marine snails and mostly traded for slaves. When slavery was abolished in the late 19th Century, conus money was largely destroyed. Czech porcelain copies were commissioned in 1892 when the replacement currencies in wood and metal were rejected by the local peoples. Some of the first versions had serial numbers on. Ivory copies have even been found in Zambia that date to pre 1900.
GIANT AFRICA LAND SNAIL SHELL BEADS
The shells of these snails were also cut into disks to form a currency used by the Portuguese in Benguella for trade. These were also worn as beads, strung through the hole in the centre and came to be known, along with the conus shells and porcelain copies, as Ndoro by the people of the modern day Zimbabwe.
TONGA BEADS
These rare antique African trade beads are found only amongst the BaTonga people of Southern Africa. The half cosmos or impande bead is a three corned triangular bead, embossed with half circle markings, thought to date back to the early 1600s in origin and produced and traded up to the 1900s. Very little is known about the beads, as they are found in such a limited area and there is speculation as to whether they were made in Venice or possibly in India, Holland or Czechoslovakia. The design is thought to be taken from that of the conus shell ndoro, which was also highly valued in trade.
EXOTIC LEATHERS
Our crocodile and ostrich skins are all sourced locally in Zimbabwe. We are lucky enough to have access to top international quality skins through Kevin van Jaarsveldt, Gail’s husband. He is considered to be the top crocodile skin grader in the world and product that passes through his selection end up at Louis Vuitton and other top international design houses. We are privileged to purchase our skins directly through him. All of the crocodile skins produced in Zimbabwe are farmed on crocodile farms and it is as direct result of farming that crocodiles are no longer on the verge of extinction in the wild.
In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, wild crocodiles were hunted to such an extent that they disappeared from some areas of the world. The introduction of CITES regulations and farming, whereby a percentage of juveniles were released back into the wild, once they were at size that ensured survival, led to the resurgence of wild populations. Zimbabwe was one of the forerunners in this endeavour, with programs based on the sustainable use of crocodilians to generate conservation benefits.
The main by-product of crocodile farming is meat, with China and Hong Kong the main importers. Virtually all other crocodile parts are utilised, including blood (pharmaceuticals), bones, fat (traditional medicines), teeth, heads, skulls (tourist curios), etc. We even use sections of skin previously not used in bag and accessory manufacture, such as the hornback and end tail section. The C.I.T.E.S. Convention regulations (enacted in 1975) control the trade and import/ export of all listed animal products. For example, all crocodilian skins in international trade must have a uniquely numbered, non-reusable tag attached to them - this allows “legal” skins to be readily identified. As both our crocodile and ostrich skins come from farmed sources, all articles made from these materials are legally able to be exported, with Nile crocodiles (crocodylus niloticus) considered Appendix II. We do advise that you check with your relevant local authority prior to purchasing any of our exotic material pieces.
For more information, please visit the IUCN website.
Along with silver, brass and semi-precious gemstones, we also use a variety of African trade beads and exotic leathers .
AFRICAN TRADE BEADS
African trade beads have a varied history. The first glass beads were made in Murano, Venice and brought to the African continent by traders for ivory, gold and commodities. The African people had always created their own beads from natural materials and clay, and as far back as the 11th century created 'lost wax' cast beads (see lost wax castings). As trade increased with Africa, the demand for beads grew and Holland and Bohemia began to make glass beads. High value was placed upon beads as a form of ethnographic money, exchanged for gold, ivory and other goods by traders from Europe and Asia. To the local people, the Portuguese traders were known as the "Europeans who scattered beads among the people in front of palaces." Bead-making then eventually passed to production in India and as the African people came to understand the process, they began to make their own beads.
BEAD TYPES
POWDER GLASS BEADS
Glass beads have always been thought to ward off the evil eye and were seen as a symbol of status, wealth and power by African peoples. From as early as 1506, tribes people were seen wearing glass trade beads from Europe. Highly treasured, these were kept even when broken and eventually the concept of making powder beads was realised in Africa. Glass powder was poured into kaolin coated clay moulds with a cassava stick to retain the hole, then heated until the glass sintered and formed a cohesive if rough bead. The earliest powder beads ever found were at Mapungubwe in present day Zimbabwe from around 970-1000 AD, although their origins cannot be confirmed. Glass powder beads are still made to this day in Ghana, using the traditional method.
EUROPEAN GLASS BEADS
Made primarily in Murano, Venice as well as Bohemia, Moravia and Holland, beads were used by traders to purchase ivory, gold, palm oil and slaves. Beads bought in Europe realised 1000% return on investment when they were traded in Africa, so were much favoured. The best examples of these beads are the chevron and millefiori beads. In 1764, 44,000 pounds of beads were being made a week by Venetian manufacturers alone. This mass export has led to West Africa being the greatest repository of antique African trade beads (figures from The History of Beads).
SNAKE VERTEBRAE GLASS BEADS
Glass replicas of traditional beads were made to satisfy the hungry marketplace. One of these types were the glass snake vertebrae imitation beads made in Czech-Bohemia. Although unlike real snake vertebrae in form, they fitted together in the same manner and were highly popular as is evidenced by their appearing on early 20th Century sample cards for traders to purchase. Traditionally, when worn, snake vertebrae were thought to protect the wearer from snake bites. Royal executioners in Ghana even wore python vertebrae.
AMBER BEADS
Amber has always been highly valued to prevent disease, ward off bad luck and to give the wearer courage. Whilst true amber is found in the Baltic regions, the amber found in Africa is known as copal amber. This is amber in the intermediate stage of its’ formation and takes its' name from the Mayan Nahuatl word copalli meaning incense. When heated to check its' authenticity, it emits a resin like odour and melts to a sticky substance, changing colour. Copalamber is found in Congo, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Broken pieces were still highly valued and intricately repaired and worn. In the early 20th century, German 'African Amber' began to be produced, a phenolic plastic. As this technique became more refined, it became hard to identify real from faux without heating and therefore damaging the bead. Regardless of the origin, all types of amber were highly valued.
CONUS SHELL BEADS
These were formed from the shells of giant marine snails and mostly traded for slaves. When slavery was abolished in the late 19th Century, conus money was largely destroyed. Czech porcelain copies were commissioned in 1892 when the replacement currencies in wood and metal were rejected by the local peoples. Some of the first versions had serial numbers on. Ivory copies have even been found in Zambia that date to pre 1900.
GIANT AFRICA LAND SNAIL SHELL BEADS
The shells of these snails were also cut into disks to form a currency used by the Portuguese in Benguella for trade. These were also worn as beads, strung through the hole in the centre and came to be known, along with the conus shells and porcelain copies, as Ndoro by the people of the modern day Zimbabwe.
TONGA BEADS
These rare antique African trade beads are found only amongst the BaTonga people of Southern Africa. The half cosmos or impande bead is a three corned triangular bead, embossed with half circle markings, thought to date back to the early 1600s in origin and produced and traded up to the 1900s. Very little is known about the beads, as they are found in such a limited area and there is speculation as to whether they were made in Venice or possibly in India, Holland or Czechoslovakia. The design is thought to be taken from that of the conus shell ndoro, which was also highly valued in trade.
EXOTIC LEATHERS
Our crocodile and ostrich skins are all sourced locally in Zimbabwe. We are lucky enough to have access to top international quality skins through Kevin van Jaarsveldt, Gail’s husband. He is considered to be the top crocodile skin grader in the world and product that passes through his selection end up at Louis Vuitton and other top international design houses. We are privileged to purchase our skins directly through him. All of the crocodile skins produced in Zimbabwe are farmed on crocodile farms and it is as direct result of farming that crocodiles are no longer on the verge of extinction in the wild.
In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, wild crocodiles were hunted to such an extent that they disappeared from some areas of the world. The introduction of CITES regulations and farming, whereby a percentage of juveniles were released back into the wild, once they were at size that ensured survival, led to the resurgence of wild populations. Zimbabwe was one of the forerunners in this endeavour, with programs based on the sustainable use of crocodilians to generate conservation benefits.
The main by-product of crocodile farming is meat, with China and Hong Kong the main importers. Virtually all other crocodile parts are utilised, including blood (pharmaceuticals), bones, fat (traditional medicines), teeth, heads, skulls (tourist curios), etc. We even use sections of skin previously not used in bag and accessory manufacture, such as the hornback and end tail section. The C.I.T.E.S. Convention regulations (enacted in 1975) control the trade and import/ export of all listed animal products. For example, all crocodilian skins in international trade must have a uniquely numbered, non-reusable tag attached to them - this allows “legal” skins to be readily identified. As both our crocodile and ostrich skins come from farmed sources, all articles made from these materials are legally able to be exported, with Nile crocodiles (crocodylus niloticus) considered Appendix II. We do advise that you check with your relevant local authority prior to purchasing any of our exotic material pieces.
For more information, please visit the IUCN website.