ENAMEL by Pamela Barrett

Enamel is the fusing of glass to metal at high temperatures. Whichever technique is used, the processes are basically the same. Glass powder is produced by grinding with a mortar and pestle and it is then applied to a thin plate of metal and fired at a very high temperature.

Generally, several layers of enamel are applied - my craftsman friend told me that like Faberge who was perhaps the best enameler of all time, he uses up to 25. Between applications the layers are ground with a carborundum or emery stone to make sure they are absolutely smooth.

All metals may be enameled except phosphor-bronze and platinum. Enamel may be translucent or opaque, colorless or multicolored.

Enameling is described as :

a jour Ñ transparent
a nuit Ñ applied onto a thin plate of metal.

A nuit is the most widespread and covers quite a number of categories - those used in hatpins were mainly cloisonn, champleve and guilloche.

CLOISONNE - enamel poured into compartments (cloisonn) formed by thin metal strips which are shaped by pincers / tweezers in order to follow the lines of a design (which has been traced on the metal plate) and which is then soldered on to the plate so as to form walls. There is also braided cloisonn which is produced when the wire is twisted into a braid.

CHAMPLEVE - name derived from the method of forming hollows in the metal - either by carving out by hand or making a die casting - leaving raised dividing strips. A raised field of metal is left to form the design. Enamel is then applied. Today champleve is also produced by acid etching. Cloisonne and champleve produce basically the same result, although cloisonn is much more refined.

GUILLOCHE -transparent or translucent enamel is applied over a surface that has been engraved or engine turned to form a pattern. Here the ornament is formed of interlacing curved bands enclosing circles decorated with intersecting curved lines. Engine turned by means of the object being held in a clamp and rotated against a static point. Run by pattern on a card system like the older type knitting machines.

Moving on to a jour......another enamel with which you maybe familiar is painted enamel - Halcyon Days etc.- instead of laying enamel into metal cells, a liquid mixture of enamel is painted unto a previously enameled surface.

PLIQUE A JOUR - is a back less enamel which imitates stained glass. The design is formed in cloisonn wire on a thin sheet of metal or mica and transparent enamel is fired into the cells. The backing is peeled away after the piece is finished and the enamel is left suspended in a supporting framework of cloisonn wire.

Question asked: If the piece has many firings, what keeps the previous layers from melting and the colors running?

Answer: They do melt and it is the skill of the enameler watching the firing process very closely who ensures that the piece is fired for exactly the right time and with the exact degree of heat. Thus the colors do not run and the piece is not over fired which would take out the pigment - and hence the color of the enamel.

Editors note:

The Goldsmiths Hall (London) put Pamela in touch with a craftsman enameler who spent two hours showing her the entire process. She also spoke to a 90 year old lady who, in 1920, worked in the enameling department of the Charles Horner firm.