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 Question for Middletom - ONC Enamelling?
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| Author | Topic: Question for Middletom - ONC Enamelling? |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 09-28-2011 12:53 PM
  
[01-2952] Hi Middletom. Over the past few weeks I have noticed some wonderful ONC objects made a while ago that featured beautiful enameling on the silver. Are all of these the work of one ONC smith or was it a more general line that was made by a number of smiths? I have not noticed any enamel pieces on your current website so am I correct that this is no longer produced or is it by special order? Could you please share a little bit of the history of such works? I do not own any of this beautiful ONC enameled silver since whenever I see an object the prices are out of my league so I have no photos of my own I can show here. Thanks for sharing so much of your knowledge of ONC with us here. I avidly read all of your postings. Kimo IP: Logged |
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middletom Posts: 467 |
posted 09-28-2011 05:01 PM
Kimo, The enameled ware was made some time ago and we do not make it now. When I arrived at ONC some of the enameled pieces were still being made but about that time they were discontinued. The hollowware spinner made the item and Dan Morrill did the enameling. As I recall, it was a tricky thing to do, enameling a bowl or tray. We had an oven for the enameling but the difficult part seemed to be getting the enamel to flow and cover well. There were a great many bad ones in a batch and I think the owner of the company decided that it was not economically worth our while to make them. When a piece didn't enamel well, the enamel had to be removed and that required hydochloric acid, which was dangerous to handle. I remember Bob Lapham telling me that when he started at ONC, one job he had was to take the container of acid out into the lawn and dip the enameled pieces to get rid of the enamel. He had to make sure to be upwind of the container of acid, for he noticed that the fumes from the acid being blown along were killing all the grass in the path of the fumes. Anyway, we stopped doing the enameling in the very early seventies. I have seen some of the pieces and they are beautiful. middletom IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 09-28-2011 10:47 PM
Thanks, Middletom. The most dramatic piece I have seen so far is a large punchbowl with enamelled panels around the base. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 09-28-2011 10:56 PM
Kimo any chance of posting a photo? IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 09-28-2011 11:21 PM
Scott Ck Christies january 2010 auctions. Have also seen it recently on another auction site. Jersey IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 09-29-2011 02:32 PM
Hi Scott. Here is the first ONC enameled object that really caught my attention - it is a punch bowl, cups, ladle, and tray. I would like to have one like it myself one day as the artistic style really appeals to me. I have since noticed a couple of other ONC objects with enameling as well which is why I asked Middletom about these. Maybe one day they will again make these, though after hearing about the process and the difficulties in working with the enamel to get it to come out evenly and the nastiness of the acid process, combined with the distressingly precarious nature of how much longer the ONC workshop will survive, I don't know.
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 09-29-2011 02:47 PM
Thank you Kimo. I agree... it now has my attention.... We don't entertain enough IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 09-29-2011 05:20 PM
I think the enameling process is environmentally unfriendly. Cast iron pots are popular now with bright red enameled lids. One of the U.S. manufacturers of cast iron ware makes all of their products in the United States with one exception. The enameled ones are made in China. The explanation given to me was that they could not meet the U.S. EPA’s requirements for the enameling process. Either the requirements of the Chinese government are less or the Chinese are willing to spend the extra money to clean up the process. Enameled bowls were popular in the 1960’s as we have one from that time period. The inside of the bowl is an emerald green and we used to have fun at dinner parties making Café Brulot. The heat from the flames never harmed the enameled surface and flames always added a festive note to the coffee. IP: Logged |
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middletom Posts: 467 |
posted 09-29-2011 09:51 PM
Kimo, That punch bowl set, the Palladian set, was made in a production total of ten. When I arrived at ONC, they were making the last one of the design, and I well remember Dan Morrill's frustration with getting those panels enameled properly. ahwt, I'm not surprised that companies are having enameling done in China. There are fewer restrictions there about what one can manufacture and how one can do it. There is discussion that says the government here is so restrictive that they are driving companies away and costing American jobs. But, if you happen to see any of the ads for auto floor mats by Dave McNeil, he makes everything in America even using American made machinery and all his materials for his mats are made in America. And he is prospering, so it can be done. middletom IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 09-30-2011 11:31 AM
In addition to the dramatic effect of the enamelled panels that really catches my eye, I also very much admire the design of the cups echoing the graceful design of the bowl in both their overall curvature and the beading. I would think that the smith who spun these must have been quite a master to have achieved that. [This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 09-30-2011).] IP: Logged |
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Paul Lemieux Posts: 1792 |
posted 10-01-2011 12:55 AM
i remember seeing that punch set in some archival material at Shreve, Crump & Low --catalogs, etc. the date 1974 rings a bell but i may be wrong about that. here is a pair of ONC enameled dishes i estimated to be ca 1965, and the mark from one of them.
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 10-01-2011 11:06 AM
I very much like your triangular dishes on the little bun feet. They are so midcentury style which is becoming a strong revival in design these days. Do you know if they were made/marketed as dishes or as ashtrays? [This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 10-01-2011).] IP: Logged |
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middletom Posts: 467 |
posted 10-02-2011 11:36 AM
Kimo and Paul, I recall seeing one of those after my arrival here, but we were done making them by then. I believe they were marketed as ash trays though candy dishes does ring a bell, also. middletom IP: Logged |
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...... so If I come across the a punch bowl, cups, ladle, and tray, I'll let you know. 
