Ode to the Horn.........

#2,658
etoile de mer said:
I’d saved an older issue of Le Monde, as it has such an interesting article about the artistry involved in creating Hermès horn jewelry. I’ve been meaning to share the text and some of the photos here, and am finally doing so. I hope you enjoy!


Text and photos that follow from “Le Monde d’Hermès Printemps-Été 2006”

Article header : Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, is where the confluence of horn and lacquer produces a rare range of jewelry and objects, from family workshops expert in precision techniques.

Horn and Lacquer - Photos Mai Duong - Text Jean-Jaques Ably

Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, is where Hermès jewelry in horn and lacquer comes into the world. Here, and nowhere else, are the family workshops whose craftsmen each master the ideal skills in their respective fields.

You could say that every task in a craft is a journey, implying a point of
departure (the raw material), a destination (the finished object) and a lot of effort in between.

Here, the forms taken by the finished object are necklace, bracelet, earring, barrette and pendant. The raw material is buffalo horn, chosen in pairs and first cut into sheets, lengthwise, after its extremities have been lopped. These sheets are sorted by colour ("marbled sand" for Hermès), and then by thickness, as required by each jewel. Next come all kinds of preliminary operations from the ancient liturgy whereby, since time immemorial, man has magnified nature; softening in warm water mixed with oil, then various processes to straighten and flatten, and compression, for as long as it takes. Thus conquered, the material is set out to dry, then checked once again. A new selection is made and the horn can be shaped and formed by cutting, piercing or hollowing, as the object requires or, even better, as the designer desires. Craftsmanship is not a struggle. It is a quest.

Now comes the scraping, done with infinite care, using different kinds of sandpaper, to reach the required shape and thickness; then, buffing and polishing, removing the slightest scratch so that the sanding is the mere ghost of a memory, and the jewel has a lustre that is like its soul. Now the horn's beauty is in full bloom, ready if wished to be married. As the mood dictates, Hermes may pair it with leather, crystal, or lacquer. The latter combination brings us to the other workshop mentioned above, likewise located in Ho Chi Minh City, which also boasts superb skills.

For this second family team, the goal is not to sculpt but to lacquer. Now, colour must be added to form, charm to character. The horn is inspected anew, scraped again if need be, and polished, before application of the lacquer, a naturally black vegetal resin brought by additional pigments to the required shade. Now come layer upon layer of lacquer, with rubbing, soaking in water and drying between each one. The journey ends with several applications of varnish and a double hand-polishing using powders made from special ash, ground and grilled. And this is to forget the scrupulous inspections at each stage, insisted on by a professional conscience that has surely grown keener over the generations.

Rigour, patience, perfectionism, discipline, and the heartrending moments of rejection that are always a possibility, should there be the slightest flaw. Goethe said that civilisation was characterised by the pursuit of excellence. On the banks of the River Saigon, civilisation abounds in the crafting of horn and lacquer. J-J.A.

View attachment 4044426
Photo caption : In the silent workshop, the final coat of lacquer is applied by brush to a scarf ring. This last layer before the varnish will not be buffed, there is no need.


View attachment 4044428
Photo caption : Horn pendants with lacquered edges and hairpins in lacquered horn laid out to dry with their last coat of lacquer


View attachment 4044429
Photo caption : Top, behind the pieces for pendants, unfinished necklace links (the horn has been cut out and hollowed, but not yet buffed). Bottom, tête—à-tête for the application of lacquer.


View attachment 4044430
Photo caption : The lozenges of a necklace are assembled using small rings, also made of horn.


View attachment 4044431
Photo caption : Sautoir and bracelet in natural and lacquered horn. The lacquer is glossed with a special oil.


View attachment 4044432
Photo caption : Cups holding lacquer. Originally black, this vegetal liquid is coloured using powdered pigments.
Click to expand...
Very good info and interesting
Thanks for sharing

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: etoile de mer
#2,660
Maedi said:
Are all lifts now PM size? I haven't seen the GM in a while. Thank you, étoupe for this interesting article.
Click to expand...

Serva1 said:
really enjoyed reading tha article. Thank you edm for posting [emoji173]️
Click to expand...

bagidiotic said:
Very good info and interesting
Thanks for sharing

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

hotshot said:
The article on the horn jewelry was fascinating. Thanks so much for sharing it with us
Click to expand...

So glad you all enjoyed it, and happy to share it with fellow fans! :smile: I love all my horn pieces, but after reading the article again I appreciate them all the more.

I’ve found my lacquered Lift pendants to be surprisingly durable. A few years ago when wearing one I took it off and set it aside. When I reached for it to put it back on the cord had somehow snagged on me, and when I moved my arm I inadvertently flung the pendant across my kitchen floor! :nuts: I was sure I’d find it was badly damaged, but when I carefully looked at it I didn’t even see a scratch. It still looked absolutely perfect!

Maedi, regarding size, when I was last in my store I asked to see Lift pendants, and my SA told me that the current offerings are the PM size.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Serva1
#2,661
etoile de mer said:
So glad you all enjoyed it, and happy to share it with fellow fans! :smile: I love all my horn pieces, but after reading the article again I appreciate them all the more.

I’ve found my lacquered Lift pendants to be surprisingly durable. A few years ago when wearing one I took it off and set it aside. When I reached for it to put it back on the cord had somehow snagged on me, and when I moved my arm I inadvertently flung the pendant across my kitchen floor! :nuts: I was sure I’d find it was badly damaged, but when I carefully looked at it I didn’t even see a scratch. It still looked absolutely perfect!

Maedi, regarding size, when I was last in my store I asked to see Lift pendants, and my SA told me that the current offerings are the PM size.
Click to expand...
Thank you for that information, dear etoile. I have one PM but really like the decorative effect of the GM. Unfortunately, I have a color that coordinates with a local university emblem and am always asked about that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: etoile de mer
#2,663
Maedi said:
Thank you for that information, dear etoile. I have one PM but really like the decorative effect of the GM. Unfortunately, I have a color that coordinates with a local university emblem and am always asked about that.
Click to expand...

Hi Maedi, that's a bother regarding the color issue! Regarding size, I've pondered if I should break free a bit :P and try a PM, but I think I prefer the size and proportion of the GM. Will ask to see a PM next I'm in my store, as I've never seen one in person.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back