Goldsmith

Goldsmith is the professional term for a craftsman, jewelry and objects made ​​of precious metals manufactures (→ goldsmith ). The profession of goldsmith is one of the oldest metal crafts. He is license-free and requires technical skills and artistic abilities. In the goldsmiths, the entire material processing in-house takes place even today often. Thus, the metals are often self- alloyed, melted, cast, rolled and processed into sheets or wires. The materials are further processed using a variety of methods, such as forging, brazing, riveting, welding, engraving and hallmarking.

  • 4.1 goldsmith families

Gold and silversmiths in history

(For the historical development of the artistic and technical aspects see the main article goldsmith ). As long as the processing of precious metals was organized in guilds, so in most central European cities since about the 14th century, were in the goldsmith guilds both those craftsmen who were more concerned with jewelry and gemstone work, so today's goldsmiths, as well as workshops where mainly silver body pieces and flatware has been produced, together. As feats also made ​​silver vessels were because even besides gold jewelery demands ( eg in Bremen still in the mid- 19th century, a silver Corpus piece, a gold snuff-box and a gold ring with stones). An essential skill for the silversmith was also gilding. Only with the dissolution of the guilds in Germany 1810-1860, was the place of the professional title " Goldsmith ", the term " silver workers " or " silversmith " occurred, especially since the mid-19th century with the blossoming of a specialized silverware industry and then again with the new orientations of arts and crafts in the 20th century. Goldsmiths were also occasionally at the same time coin -Ward A, as they master the technique of fire assay. From the art of engraving, one in the late Middle Ages spreading decoration technique, the early copper engraving had developed. Similar techniques have been used traditionally in some other metal trades, such as chasing, guilloche and the making of watch cases or casting models. Others have developed only recently, see the below attached list.

Today's job description

Generally

Processes are usually precious metal alloys (gold, platinum, silver, palladium ) and for the further refinement of a variety of other materials, such as gemstones, pearls, ivory, enamel and rubber ( rubber). Furthermore, stainless steel and more rarely iron, nonferrous metals, wood and even plastic are used.

The profession is strongly influenced depending on the manufacturing focus of craftsmanship and industrial labor rarely structured. Imagination, patience and strong motor ( eye-hand ) skills are prerequisites for the predominantly performed while sitting at a Workbench workflows. However, since some works, such as forging, rolling or drawing, or standing and with a high effort must be carried out, a certain level of physical fitness is also required. The soldering often still carried out with a mouth soldering tube also require a good lung function, but rather a soldering gun is preferred according to the Bunsen principle or compressed air supply for the heating of larger workpieces and for melting work. For higher-melting metals and propane - oxygen is used. Since about 1975, there are handy Hydrozongeräte ( oxyhydrogen generator) for soldering fine with flames and high temperatures. The treatment of the products, such as grinding, fine grinding and polishing, as well as the often required electroplating with different colored gold coatings or other precious metals (silver, platinum, rhodium, palladium), and the corresponding galvanic pretreatment techniques are everyday work of a goldsmith. Since the mid- 1990s, laser welding equipment is used in the Goldschmiedeateliers increasingly. Through this technology, many works have become possible that were impossible due to the high heat conductivity and the temperature sensitivity of many jewelry components until then. Since the millennium change very slowly Goldsmith CAD techniques, as well as rapid prototyping process begin in the craft enforce. This goes along with the professionalization of casting technology that makes it possible today to produce pieces of jewelry made ​​of precious metals with accuracies in My area.

Germany

He who makes a master craftsman in one of the two professions today, bears the title of gold or silversmith / in. Neither the master craftsman, yet passed a journeyman's examination are needed to operate a gold or silver smithy. With the amendment of the Crafts Code on January 1, 2004, the goldsmith's craft was dismissed from the field of accredited crafts Annex A of the HwO and scope of the license-free trades (Appendix B1 for HwO ) assigned.

In the list of patron saints of Hl.Eligius is listed as a saint of goldsmiths. Sets will be souvenirs in the nationwide organized Eligius guild.

Switzerland

Vocational education and training

Today's Apprenticeships Goldsmith EFZ summarizes the lead together apprenticeships Goldsmith, Juwelenfasser and silversmith. The previous occupations can now be found in the fields of gem-setting, goldsmiths and silversmiths

The training lasts four years.

Higher technical examination ( master craftsman )

Master goldsmith, silversmith and Juwelenfassermeister have the same test order, is of course, received the check for the peculiarities of work and material. The test itself is a higher professional examination.

Related Occupations

Have seen over the centuries been developed from the goldsmith profession new professional fields:

  • Noble metal technology ( Manipulation, alloy production, analysis, semifinished goods, (leaf) gold-beater, precious metal sheaths, recycling technologies, etc.)
  • Cash production (coins, banknotes)
  • Engravers, Guillocheure, engraver ( letterpress ), chasers
  • Silversmiths (dishes, Sacred, metal sculptor )
  • Metallbildner (formerly chaser, chasing )
  • Dental Technology ( Dental Technology )
  • Surface technology ( polishing, grinding, coating )
  • Electroplating
  • Watchmaker
  • Model maker (wax, plastic, metal, CAD / CAM).
  • Gem Goldsmith
  • Gemstone setters
  • Gilding ( gold leaf processing )
  • Restoration

Famous Goldsmiths

In the European cultural area only a few goldsmiths from the early Middle Ages (before 1000 AD ) known by name. They include Aligerno (Italy, 10th century), Altmar ( Old Norse, Denmark), Billfrith ( Bilfrid, England 8th century ), Brithnodus (England, 10th century), Eligius (France, 7th century) Ello and Undiho (Burgundy, 8th century ), Gozbertus (9th century ), Mabuinus (France, 6th century), Marius ( Switzerland, 6th century), Pacificus (Italy 8th century ), Tuotilo ( Switzerland 9th century), Turtuinus ( Frankish, 7th century), Vu ( o) lvinus ( Wolvinus, Carolingian 9th century).

For other European regions are goldsmiths known by name only from a later period, as from Belgium and Spain ( from 11th century), from the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal (from 12th century). Norway ( from 14th century), Sweden ( from 15th century). For the medieval craftsmen and artists, it is not unusual that the attribution Goldsmith is just one of several activities ( job titles ).

Among the best known goldsmiths since the Roman period (. 11th/12th century) include:

  • Rogerus of Helmarshausen (around 1100/1120 ) ( Theophilus Presbyter )
  • Eilbert of Cologne (c. 1110/1160 )
  • Fridericus ( Fredericus ) (Cologne, St. Pantaleon in 1150 )
  • Nicholas of Verdun ( 1130 - after 1205 )
  • Johann Fust (c. 1400-1466 )
  • Johannes Gutenberg ( 1400-1468 )
  • Albrecht Dürer the Elder. (around 1427-1502 )
  • Israhel Meckenem van the Elder ( 15th century )
  • Israhel van Meckenem the Younger ( 1440-1503 to )
  • Hans von Reutlingen from Aachen (around 1465-1547 )
  • Ludwig Krug (around 1488/90-1532 )
  • Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571)
  • Anthony Eisenhoit (around 1553-1603 )
  • Baldwin Drentwett from Augsburg (1545-1627)
  • Abraham (II ) Drentwett of Augsburg ( 1647-1729 )
  • Johann Melchior Dinglinger (1664-1731)
  • Pierre Germain (Le Romain ) (18th century)
  • Johann Heinrich tube (18th Century)
  • Franz Christoph Mäderl (18th century)
  • Reinhold Vasters (1827-1909), in 1979, discovered as a master forger of Renaissance art
  • Peter Carl Fabergé (1846-1920)
  • René Lalique (1860-1945)
  • Elisabeth Tresckow (1898-1992)
  • Fritz Schwerdt (1901-1970)
  • Kurt Aepli (1914-2002)
  • Friedrich Becker (1922-1997)
  • Hermann Jünger (1928-2005)

Goldsmith Family

  • Arfe (Spain ) Enrique arfe
  • Antonio arfe
  • Juan de arfe y Villafane
  • Pierre Germain
  • Thomas Germain
  • Francois -Thomas Germain
  • Susanne Kölblinger
Jost Amman Fineness Guilloché Natural rubber Fantasy (psychology) Saint Eligius Printing Wellendorff Anton Eisenhoit Blacksmith Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
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