Cyril Colnik (1871-1958) came to America in 1893 to help the German government set up their ironwork display at the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893. Born in Austria, Colnik traveled Europe to refine his forging skills. Today, I will share some rare images of Colnik, as well as his wife,
Bighorn Forge, Inc., and Dan Nauman have officially announced that all workshops will be placed under the heading of: “Nauman’s Northern School for Blacksmiths”, a division of Bighorn Forge, Inc. A new blog-site has been created to help you learn more about the NNSB. Please go to www.naumansnorthernschoolforblacksmiths.wordpress.com for
I recognize the fact that for centuries, there has been a longstanding debate about “What is art?” and “What is craft?” or, “Art vs. Craft.” Many folks feel to discuss the subject is folly. I wish to address the question “Where is ironwork today?” Is it art, or is it
There is not very much in print regarding repoussé, especially in any great detail. That said, I am not going to produce a treatise, but rather show the more common tools of repoussé, and how some of them are used. I will also try to address some commonly asked questions.
The locksmiths of centuries past were often highly esteemed by the metal tradesmen, and some regarded them as the epitome of metalworkers. The locks I will present today will show why the locksmiths held such a lofty position in Europe. You could say they were the master’s master of metalworkers.
This piece deserves a chapter all by itself. I had the privilege to clean this iron chest, as well as a smaller version, for the same client. I had only seen one of these chests, or “strong boxes” one other time before seeing this one. I was in Asheville, NC
In recent years, I have had the opportunity to provide sculpture for various churches around southeastern Wisconsin. Below is the most recent installation, made for “First Baptist Church”, West Bend. The theme is “Missions”. This church, which I attend, supports over twenty missionaries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and
In 2008, I had the privilege to restore a very large window grille made by master blacksmith Cyril Colnik. The grille belongs to the “Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion” and is situated on the northern exterior of the building. It measures 66″ x 99″. The approximate age of the grille is
Greetings, and Happy New Year. 20 years ago today, I was enroute by train to study with master blacksmith Francis Whitaker (1906-1999) in Carbondale, CO. Francis referred to himself as “a link with the past,” as he was one of the few remaining true blacksmiths alive when the forging renaissance
Once again we shall visit the ironwork of master blacksmith Cyril Colnik (1871-1958.) Note to my readers: To enlarge an image, simply click on the desired image. The image above is a mailbox made for Maria Pabst, wife of the famed Milwaukee beer baron Captain Frederick Pabst. This piece is
NAUMAN’S NORTHERN SCHOOL FOR BLACKSMITHS
