- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,330
Folks,
The 2002 New York NYCKS show was very good to me! I picked up an awaited order. Last year at this show I had the pleasure of meeting William (Bill) Burger. He is a noted maker from So. Africa who was (is?) also a professional photographer during his career. He always brings along a portfolio of large prints that rival National Geographic for beauty and landscape. He has a great eye for beauty which carries into his other crafts.
Currently he makes some VERY nice knives. I was stunned by the beauty of his presentation carving sets last year, which sold out during the show. So we spent time going over the details for a new 'custom' set. Bill doesn't even have email so our initial dialog was via fax and phone. (On evening I called to confirm a design change and spaced on the time zones. No worry--his wife answered. So she woke him up too. It was 3:30 in the morning. YIKES!!!!
No wonder this took a year!)
Anyway, Bill was VERY happy with a new blade shape he worked on for this set, and has incorporated it into a few others.
His daughter, Sharon Burger, was to do the scrimshaw on the pair of handles. She is just about as fine an artist as is out there--very well-regarded. You will see why! We talked via email and fortunately she could phone-relay any further messages to her dad. I chose one of my favorite birds as the theme--Swans. I am around them almost daily in my own rowing and coaching and I am always pleased at their beauty. (This morning a swan took off right in front of me, coming at me, and took air only six feet directly over my head. Their wings make a distinct whistle as if the feathers are reeds and you can REALLY hear the flight sounds. It's amazing!) Anyway, they are a graceful, family-oriented bird.
Sharon and I exchanged photo's of various swans and she picked out her favorites. One is of the family with three cygnets on the mother's back, and the other is of a swan in flight. You can even see those end feathers... (Look at how she incorporated the natural flaws into her work!)
William also engaged the talents of an Austrian fellow named Armin Winkler, who engraved the sides of the fork, the bolsters, and the FULL tangs of the set around the whole handle. Simply stunning!
Lastly he has fitted this set into a presentation box of his design made of 'Wild Serenga' wood. The cover of the box has two distinct tones and is luscious. Inside they nest into formed pockets covered with ostrich skin.
This set has 'heirloom-quality' instilled into it. As it is with any of the best customs, most of the pleasure is the experience of working together and the personal exchanges. Between Bill and Sharon I have been greatly satisfied with this transaction, and the friendships it has brought.
I finally took a number of VERY nice shots and created a long collage to capture some of the beauty. Thanks for reading this far. Hope you folks are inspired as well!
Coop
(Click on this pic to see the REALLY detailed version)
The 2002 New York NYCKS show was very good to me! I picked up an awaited order. Last year at this show I had the pleasure of meeting William (Bill) Burger. He is a noted maker from So. Africa who was (is?) also a professional photographer during his career. He always brings along a portfolio of large prints that rival National Geographic for beauty and landscape. He has a great eye for beauty which carries into his other crafts.
Currently he makes some VERY nice knives. I was stunned by the beauty of his presentation carving sets last year, which sold out during the show. So we spent time going over the details for a new 'custom' set. Bill doesn't even have email so our initial dialog was via fax and phone. (On evening I called to confirm a design change and spaced on the time zones. No worry--his wife answered. So she woke him up too. It was 3:30 in the morning. YIKES!!!!
No wonder this took a year!)Anyway, Bill was VERY happy with a new blade shape he worked on for this set, and has incorporated it into a few others.
His daughter, Sharon Burger, was to do the scrimshaw on the pair of handles. She is just about as fine an artist as is out there--very well-regarded. You will see why! We talked via email and fortunately she could phone-relay any further messages to her dad. I chose one of my favorite birds as the theme--Swans. I am around them almost daily in my own rowing and coaching and I am always pleased at their beauty. (This morning a swan took off right in front of me, coming at me, and took air only six feet directly over my head. Their wings make a distinct whistle as if the feathers are reeds and you can REALLY hear the flight sounds. It's amazing!) Anyway, they are a graceful, family-oriented bird.
Sharon and I exchanged photo's of various swans and she picked out her favorites. One is of the family with three cygnets on the mother's back, and the other is of a swan in flight. You can even see those end feathers... (Look at how she incorporated the natural flaws into her work!)
William also engaged the talents of an Austrian fellow named Armin Winkler, who engraved the sides of the fork, the bolsters, and the FULL tangs of the set around the whole handle. Simply stunning!
Lastly he has fitted this set into a presentation box of his design made of 'Wild Serenga' wood. The cover of the box has two distinct tones and is luscious. Inside they nest into formed pockets covered with ostrich skin.
This set has 'heirloom-quality' instilled into it. As it is with any of the best customs, most of the pleasure is the experience of working together and the personal exchanges. Between Bill and Sharon I have been greatly satisfied with this transaction, and the friendships it has brought.
I finally took a number of VERY nice shots and created a long collage to capture some of the beauty. Thanks for reading this far. Hope you folks are inspired as well!
Coop
(Click on this pic to see the REALLY detailed version)
