Lost Cedar Casting

Irene Blueth of Silver Sea Handmade Jewelry has been experimenting with one-of-a-kind direct castings of organic materials since the early 1980's. These pieces are not plated or dipped: they are solid 3 dimensional replicas created by embedding the plant in special plaster (jeweller's investment), heating it in a kiln until the organic matter burns away and disintegrates leaving an empty space shaped like the plant. Then, in a centrifuge, molten silver or gold is spun into the plaster. In order to remove the metal castings, the plaster mold must be destroyed. Thus for each plant sacrificed, a one-of-a-kind silver clone is created.

Of all the different flora & fauna in the collection, the cedar has remained the favorite. The name "Lost Cedar Casting" is a pun on "Lost Wax Casting", a traditional method of carving wax and burning it away (thus the wax gets 'lost') and replacing it with molten metal. Also available: Lost SALAL LEAF castings, Lost FERNS, ALDER LEAVES, GRAPEVINES, PEA PODS, LILY PISTILS, FIDDLEHEADS and new surprises from forest and garden.