Lamp, 2016

Knowledge, Skills, Traditions: This is the slogan under which the German UNESCO Commission has been listing intangible cultural heritage in Germany since 2013. In 2015, the “Manufactory Jewelry Design” project was recognized as Best Practice for the preservation of artisanal jewelry manufacturing techniques.

The lamp serving as our Object of the Month was made by Lena Beigel in 2016 when she was the scholarship resident artist at the Deutsches Technikmuseum. She used a guilloche machine to engrave the geometric patterns on the plexiglass panes. The guilloche engraving technique was originally used to decorate pocket watch covers, cigarette cases, lighters and ballpoint pens. Further examples of this art can be seen in the "Jewelry Manufacture" permanent exhibition located in the museum’s Beamtenhaus.

The scholarship has been part of the “Manufactory Jewelry Design” project since 2011 and is sponsored by the Deutsches Technikmuseum in conjunction with the C. Hafner Gold and Silver Refinery.

Graduates of the jewelry course at Pforzheim University are eligible to apply. The scholarship holders have the opportunity to work for three to six months with the historical machines in the “Manufactory Jewelry Production” exhibition workshop in the Deutsches Technikmuseum. They receive professional guidance from the jewelry workshop staff and can freely develop their talents.  From unfettered experimentation to making one-of-a-kind or small batch jewelry to creating an everyday object — anything is possible.

The scholarship holder Bine Roth will be working in the jewelry workshop from January to April 2022 and is happy to provide information about her activities.