Apr 22, 2012

Treasure Day with Ghost of Marcin Jarra

I am aware of the fact that it's better to give than to get
but today I am happy to say I received a very special gift...

one of these unforgettable gifts,
one of the kind, which will probably live longer than me,
one with an interesting history and multiple use throughout the years
one
and only.

Mesdames et Messieurs
I give you " braceletfork "
and it's manufacturer's history
enjoy !
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Marcin Jarra was born in 1852 and lived quite long because he died before World War II in 1938. Initially he worked in the famous factory of metal Norblin in Warsaw,from where he was delegated to Krakow with M. Jakubowski for the establishment of the Warsaw branch of the label around 1890. Jarra bought out the company and did the work himself. Silver appliances, church dishes and judaica. He obtained considerable success, as in Krakow until the arrival of Jarra there was no major studios and factories manufacturing household metal objects and sacred use.

The factory prospered very well. In many homes today in Krakow preserved are various dishes (sugar bowls, sauceboats etc.) and sets of table utensils. In churches you can find chalices and smaller vestments. Products manufactured at the factory of Martin Jarra were at highest artistic level, decorative and technically, since Jarra in 1892 was awarded a silver medal at the exhibition in Lviv and also received more honorable awards. In 1893 he established a branch factory in Lviv, which proves the success of the project. It should be noted that goldsmiths since the mid-nineteenth century, used a variety of machines, hand made objects were disavowed by technological progress. Often only large decorative elements, such as Hanukkah lamps or tasach (palm trees, lions, columns, etc.) cast in a separate form or boned, were applied to a wall and held by small rivets. To keep production " up to date " - in 1903 Jarra brought a special steam machines from Switzerland.

But good days did not last long - as a result of obstruction on the part of the Austrian authorities and strong competition, the plant declined. The new period of prosperity followed after the First World War. Evidenced by the news that in 1927 there was up to 1000 kilograms of silver processed per year. Jarry products are distinguished by a neat, deliberately composed silhouette, noble in form and full of unique decoration . It works in a spirit of eclecticism. Often in the products of this factory (which was on the street Joselewicz in Kazimierz in Krakow), you can feel echoes of classicism, often used Neo-Baroque and neo-Gothic motifs.


(Part of an article printed in: Folks-Sztyme, No. 7, 1987)

translated by :natalis






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