Example of the Work of a One-Armed Silversmith
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:40 am
Article from a 1902 copy of 'The Jewellers' Circular':
An Interesting Silver Box Made by a One-Armed French Soldier
Many odd, quaint and unique products have come from the soldiers injured in France, and among the most interesting to the jewelry trade have been some of the works in silver.
On the front page of this issue is shown an illustration of a silver box made by a one armed soldier named Pasquier of the Eighth Chasseurs. The worker, who was wounded in the left arm which was amputated on April 11, 1916, at Sailly-Saillisel, France, is a possessor of the Croix du Guerre, and the Medaille Militaire, and the box which he produced was sold for the benefit of the wounded soldiers at the administration of the work and art of men and women of the war, at 5 Rue Pelouze, Paris. It is now in the possession of Mrs. Hans Zinsser, wife of Lieut. Col Hans. Zinsser of the Medical Staff in France, through whom it was recently brought to New York.
The box is of silver, slightly oxidized, with inlays of thin plates of abalone shell with green, purple, red and blue reflections. In all, there are 21 of these inlays, producing an unusual effect. The box is entirely the hand work of Pasquier, and is remarkably artistic and charming in its execution, and is particularly interesting when it is understood it is the work of a man with a single arm. It is considered a very fine illustration of the work that can be done by wounded soldiers.
The box was photographed for use in The Jewelers' Circular through the courtesy of Dr. George F. Kunz, who is active in the reconstruction work especially of wounded and crippled soldiers.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - Volume 78 - Issue 1 - 12th March 1919
Trev.
An Interesting Silver Box Made by a One-Armed French Soldier
Many odd, quaint and unique products have come from the soldiers injured in France, and among the most interesting to the jewelry trade have been some of the works in silver.
On the front page of this issue is shown an illustration of a silver box made by a one armed soldier named Pasquier of the Eighth Chasseurs. The worker, who was wounded in the left arm which was amputated on April 11, 1916, at Sailly-Saillisel, France, is a possessor of the Croix du Guerre, and the Medaille Militaire, and the box which he produced was sold for the benefit of the wounded soldiers at the administration of the work and art of men and women of the war, at 5 Rue Pelouze, Paris. It is now in the possession of Mrs. Hans Zinsser, wife of Lieut. Col Hans. Zinsser of the Medical Staff in France, through whom it was recently brought to New York.
The box is of silver, slightly oxidized, with inlays of thin plates of abalone shell with green, purple, red and blue reflections. In all, there are 21 of these inlays, producing an unusual effect. The box is entirely the hand work of Pasquier, and is remarkably artistic and charming in its execution, and is particularly interesting when it is understood it is the work of a man with a single arm. It is considered a very fine illustration of the work that can be done by wounded soldiers.
The box was photographed for use in The Jewelers' Circular through the courtesy of Dr. George F. Kunz, who is active in the reconstruction work especially of wounded and crippled soldiers.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - Volume 78 - Issue 1 - 12th March 1919
Trev.