Dictionary of Enamelling: History and Techniques [first edition]

The splendour of the pala d’Oro, the mystery of the Alfred Jewel, the genius of Renaissance goldsmiths...For more than 1000 years enamels, made by fusing layers of coloured glass to metal, have been used to embellish objects of great value and importance. Medieval altar pieces and reliquaries, Renaissance jewels, Limoges paintings, portrait miniatures, seventeenth-century gold snuff boxes and watch cases, and, perhaps most famously, Fabergé’s presentation Easter eggs made for the Russian imperial family, were all decorated with enamel. Twentieth- century studio enamels have widened traditional methods, while industrial manufacture ranges from architectural panels to art applications. The Dictionary of Enamelling is the first book to provide a comprehensive guide to this most diverse of the decorative arts.Indispensable for anyone interested in the evolution of enamelling technique, the book includes some 400 entries covering every aspect of its history. There are entries on key pieces, individual enamellers, designers, schools, techniques, and the major achievements are described in every era. The knowledge and insight of Erika Speel’s account are supported and enhanced by a brilliantly researched collection of 200 illustrations, 100 in colour, portraying the most dazzling and important pieces, a unique visual record of enamelling history. The Dictionary of Enamelling will be invaluable to people who collect, study, create and enjoy enamels.