In order to be able to present the production process of a disc brooch in more detail to museum visitors, the LVR LandesMuseum Bonn commissioned me to make a replica of an almandine disc brooch based on an original find from the museum's collection.
An primer is a medieval robe clasp that was primarily worn by women.
The presentation of the primer was to be in connection with a goldsmith's show workplace as part of the exhibition "EVA'S BEAUTY CASE” will take place from the summer of 2016.
For this I was allowed to study the original medieval disc fibula from the 6th century AD and the scientific analyzes of the LVR LandesMuseum Bonn and to discuss all the details on site with the responsible art historians.
Since the replica, which is as true to the original as possible, will later serve to explain the individual production steps in a display case, the fibula should be made in silver just like the original and then fire-gilded. The material analyzes of the Bonn museum were able to identify the remains of fire gilding.
So first I made the body of the fibula in fine silver. The prepared cells should later go to the gem cutter Harold Heinrich serve to grind the almandine for the disc fibula to a precise fit. Finally, the fibula was fire-gilded by a specialist in Munich.
In order to make the almandine "sparkle" even more, the gemstones were deposited with a so-called "waffle foil" just like the historical models. With its relief-like surface, this wafer-thin foil made of fine gold ensures a strong reflection of the incident light and thus increases the luminosity of the gemstones above.
Finally, the replica of the disc fibula could be handed over to the LVR LandesMuseum Bonn as planned and presented there on an exemplary goldsmith work table to the visitors of the exhibition "EVA's BEAUTY CASE" (see picture below under the hammer) - together with the one I also made Precious Gem Brooch to the left.
Right from the start of the exhibition, the showcase aroused great interest among museum visitors. The concept of the museum worked: the pure presentation of the original finds was supplemented here by a replica of a goldsmith's workplace with a lot of additional information, which gave the visitors a significantly expanded and thus even more lively view of the find object.
