Hummingbird
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This piece was created as a charitable
contribution for the Habitat For Humanity organization and was sold at
auction in their tenth annual "Birdhouse Artfest" at Phipps
Plaza in Atlanta in late October, 1999. A very unusual work of 189 pieces
of wood and 17 pieces of glass, this irregular octagonal box of West
African Padauk wood and Red Opals stained glass has inlaid pure silver
(0.999 fine), a sculpted silver flower handle and a sand blasted
hummingbird in the lid glass (details below).
The horizontal lines of all the
body and vaulted lid frames are arched resulting in eight "self
feet" at the bottom of the box.
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| I sand blasted
the hummingbird into the stained glass with a multi-level process to cut
to various levels in the glass to reveal different colors highlighting the
plumage of the bird. The bird’s eye was not blasted, thereby leaving a
small glimmering dot for the eye.
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To make the lid handle
I sculpted a silver Daffodil in two parts. I turned the trumpet on my
metal lathe from marine brass (part of a discarded sailboat propeller
shaft). I scalloped the edges of the trumpet with Swiss pattern files.
Then I polished the trumpet to a mirror shine before cutting to final
length and angle and silver plating it. The "back petals" were
cut from sheet sterling silver and each petal was hammered into the
compound curve of a natural flower petal. After polishing the back petals
to a mirror shine the silver plated trumpet was soldered to it. Finally, a
number 6-32 brass machine nut was soldered to the back allowing the flower
to be fastened to the lid via a 6-32 machine screw from the inside (a
recess in the lid accepts the nut so the flower sits directly on the lid). |
| The heavy brass stop
hinges and screws that support the lid when it is opened are silver plated
so only silver shows anywhere on the piece. |
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Opening the box
reveals the lift out tray fashioned from Lacewood with a Padauk handle
across the middle and with two Padauk splines at each corner. Note the
handle is pinned in with three tiny 3/32" diameter hardwood dowels on
each end of the handle. The floors of the tray and box are lined with red
velveteen fabric. Size:
Approx. 28.25cm (11 1/8 inches) wide
Approx. 23.5cm (9 ¼ inches) deep
Approx. 21cm (8 ¼ inches) high Placed in private collection |
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