Coppersmithing in Antep
Between December 2020 and May 2021, I lived in Gaziantep Turkey (colloquially known as Antep) and learned copper engraving in the Antep tradition from a local master. This is a mostly chronological ordering of the things I worked on there.
Above is the scrap plate that I was given to practice making lines and simple designs.
The other picture shows me working on it (you can see I’m holding the chisel kinda awkwardly, because I just started learning). The plate of tinned copper is fixed to a heavy log so it doesn’t shake when engraving
Here’s a closer look at the basic tools:
The chisel is called a “Kalem” in turkish, which literally translates to pen.
Right after finishing the plate, I started on a small pail:
My teacher, Şahab (pronounced Shahab) layed out the design, and drew one section on the pail, after which I copied to fill in the rest and engraved over the lines
Then a large pail
The design process was the same as the smaller pail.
This is me working on the pail:
I did some animals on a large platter which was already mostly decorated by stamping:
Deers/Gazelles and birds are common motifs in the Antep engraved copper. Above I was attempting to make a gazelle and a heron and a simple graphical style, but a little more naturalistically than the traditional designs.
Here’s a piece of Şahab’s with birds and deer:
In these next two, I was trying to do something a little more inbetween. Closer to the traditional style, but referencing particular recognizable animals:
I think the first is supposed to be a crane, but I don’t exactly remember what type of animal the second was supposed to be exactly.
Şahab did the layout for this pitcher, but the designs within the sections are my own. I did them in the traditional style, borrowing elements from pieces of his. The first two pictures are before and after tinning. The forms for previous pieces I had done were finished forms that Şahab had lying around his shop, so they were already tinned. Typically the pieces are engraved on the raw copper, then the engraved lines are colored and the object is tinned. Extra elements like handles are added at the end. That’s how I did this one.
For laying out a design, compasses are used. You can use them to mark circles, measure distances, and mark lines parallel to an already engraved line by running them through the groove made by the engraving
This is the process of finishing a raw copper piece into a tinned and colored piece:
- The first step after all the engraving is complete is coloring the engraved lines. This is known as
"patent" in Turkish (with the emphasis on the last syllable)
- Paint over every engraved line with a mixture of shellac, (traditionally) black pigment, and rubbing alchohol. The mixture should be very thin. Make sure the inside of every line is completely colored.
- After the paint dries (it takes only a few minutes), remove all the paint outside the engraved lines with medium to fine sandpaper
- When the piece is tinned, the paint should prevent the engraving from being filled in
- The piece is then brought to the tinners to be tinned (if you have a tinner in your area):
- I don't know all the details of the process, but I can explain what I can from the above video
- I believe the copper is prepared in some way before tinning (dipped in some kind of bath to clean it)
- He's rubbing the vessel with a stick of tin after it's heated up, then he wipes the tin over its surface with a thing of raw cotton
- Occasionally he throws a pinch of powder over the vessel that looks like ash
- For the inside of the pitcher he drops in a piece of tin and swishes it around, then he uses some cotton in these long tongs to wipe it smooth inside
- It’s dropped in a bucket of water to cool then it's all done in a few seconds
- After tinning, the paint solution is applied again, but this time, instead of sanding off the excess, it's wiped off with rubbing alcohol
- Last, handles and such are attached. Handles are usually attached with tinned copper rivets, though they are soldered on to the tiny coffee cups which don't take much strain.
With this Kiddush Cup (Jewish ritual cup) I experimented a little with hebrew lettering, and designs outside the traditional turkish style. The form was already tinned and decorated with that line of stamps on the top edge before I engraved on it.
I did some apprenticeship work for Şahab. Two of these pictures are from this pan I did for a Baklava place and the other is engraved with the name of a client on it.
I did some experimenting with engraving on plastic:
This was a quick test design in the turkish style on a small plastic container. We put the container to good use (storing a tasty date spread).
I made an attempt at engraving a piece of plastic as a print plate.
The prints didn’t come out so clearly, and I accidentally made the text backwards...
I engraved two brass mortars and pestles, Both older items that Şahab had lying around:
The first was Şahab’s design. The second had eight panels, so I engraved each with a different image from the hebrew bible. Coppersmithing in Antep used to be a primarily Jewish trade (back when there were Jews around here), so I like the idea of inserting Jewish imagery into the traditional turkish motifs.
Clockwise from top left: Balaam’s donkey, Aaron’s staff/snake, Ram in the thicket, Dove with the olive branch, Burning bush, Grains, Tree of life, Grapes
Next I engraved a plate, using an old, already tinned (and rather dusty) plate that Şahab had in his shop. Continuing with the Jewish theme, it’s intended as a plate to hold candles for the Sabbath. The two spots in the middle are for the two traditional candles.
Above is before before the lined were colored, below after.
I think it worked better before, when the two circles in the middle were shiny.
This teapot in progress has a verse from the book of Proverbs that’s also recited in weekly jewish liturgy in the negative space of a seemingly random Turkish-style design.
Last I’m fully engraving this cheap plastic pitcher. Also in progress:
