P A T I N A
[pat-n-uh, puh-tee-nuh]
In October. at the 35 Year Celebration of our very own Dutch Master, one very special guest who has been a customer for almost as long was in attendance. So special in fact, an engraving style has been named after her! If you're reading this far, you probably have more than a passing interest in beauty, art, and the finer things in life, and hand engraving is definitely one of those things that makes the objects we live with better, more personal and more imbued with family history. Once an item is purchased from Franciscus Silver & Pewter Gifts for hand engraving, the selection of an engraving style from John Franciscus' style book is the next step. One particularly beautiful script is named "Sabrina" after his long time customer.
Sabrina finds the ambiguity of a monogram intriguing and this was accomplished by adding ribbons and flourishes and with the very Southern directive to "fancy it up." John Franciscus did not disappoint. And the JF 6 was born. Or what is better known to a growing and appreciative audience as the “Sabrina” engraving style.
Her wide silver cuffs take her from the office to after five events. Some are flat, contemporary and simply tailored, others are more voluminous. All of them are worn regularly. She's grown accustomed to even their distinctive sound as they hit her desk. Each piece has the patina to show that they are loved and lived in and have the "character marks" to prove it.
Hand engraving is the opposite of ephemera—the opposite of instant gratification and fast fashion—which is part of the appeal. At it’s core, it’s an unchanged art form in a fast changing world, and because of this, Sabrina was quick to tell me it requires patience and that every piece has been worth the wait. “The engraving represents a long wonderful journey.” Choosing a favorite piece would be akin to choosing a favorite child. . . impossible! But the piece that is probably the biggest conversation starter is an Elsa Peretti "Saddle Clutch" by Tiffany & Co. that her husband, a fabulously talented gift giver, gave her to celebrate a special occasion. At this point, Sabrina has trained her eye to see expanses of silver as blank palettes and this one was worthy of a very special monogram. To make it even more special, she and her husband met with John to discuss the creative process and at one point, her husband secretly whispered a private message that he wanted engraved on it. John happily obliged making an extraordinary and iconic design deeply personal.
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A R C H I V E S
January 2025
C A T E G O R I E S |