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Large-pod brooch
Adam, Jane, born 1945 - Enlarge image
Large-pod brooch
- Object:
Brooch
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
1999 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Adam, Jane, born 1945 (designer and maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Dyed, anodised and crazed aluminium, with green gold leaf, dyed cultured freshwater pearl and stainless steel wire
- Credit Line:
Given in honour of Elizabeth Goring
- Museum number:
M.14-2008
- Gallery location:
Jewellery, room 91, case 39, shelf D, box 2
Jane Adam's jewellery shows the extraordinary versatility of aluminium. Her extensive research into the properties of this metal and her fine appreciation of colour and line combine in the subtle colours and shimmering textures achieved in this brooch.
To create this effect the aluminium is first anodised by immersing it in a solution of sulphuric acid and water then passing an electric current through it. This forms a thin surface film of aluminium oxide which is very tough yet has microscopic pores which enable colouring dyes to be absorbed. After dying the surface is sealed. Shapes for jewellery are cut from the dyed and sealed sheet, and these are then compressed in a rolling mill, adding texture or crazing to the surface. As anodised aluminium cannot be soldered the assembling of a piece often requires the addition of minimal wires and findings to the design.
