One of the shows I am fascinated by is "Hannibal". I am a huge fan of that canon and had a customer some years ago who requested some interesting pieces based on these novels (see below). I miss doing themed jewelry and perhaps will get back to it.
Photo by Robert Trachtenberg/NBC
At one of the gems shows this spring I spied a group of Imperial Jasper cabochons that immediately made me think of Dr. Lecter. I filed the ideas away into my memory palace and finally got to work last month on one of them.
Looks like a marrow bone, doesn't it?
I wanted to try out something different rather than setting this cab into a bezel and thus hiding the interesting edges. This all-in-one base, prong and bail idea took longer than I anticipated to execute (heh), but it turned out well. The prongs next time will be thinner and shorter as I think they're a tad overstated, but I like the strength of it and the warm copper with this richly hued gemstone. I gave it a matte satin finish in order to serve as a contrast to the shiny polished surface of the stone.
Since I wanted a long chain for this, brass ball chain is an inexpensive option, and no clasp is required. It's All About the Jasper, so you can have your own bone marrow necklace to wear when the third season of Hannibal begins!
Great gift idea (if a trifle macabre) for doctors as well. It's here.
All right.
Some years ago, I had a very interesting and imaginative customer who asked me to make a series of custom pieces centered on the Hannibal Lecter books and films. I was already a fan so I didn't have to do much research. At the time I was into altered art dominoes, and in fact have a few pieces left in my shop of older work. I had a huge collection of charms and enjoyed thinking up and making theme-centered bracelets and necklaces. My lovely customer gave me some parameters and graphic files and let me go to work carrying out her wishes. Looking back, it was a dream project as I am a keen hunter of components and enjoyed finding ways to illustrate the many ideas and themes in this canon.
I made a pendant necklace for each of the films/books.
Hannibal Rising (2007) I made two necklaces for this epic film.
Hannibal Rising #1. Vintage chain with blood-red beads and charms. The tile is a movie poster I put together from images and the back contains text.
Hannibal Rising text tile
Hannibal Rising #1 charms - a starling, of course
Hannibal Rising #1. A boar, eating utensils, blood, handcuffs - just a regular Saturday night for Hannibal.
Hannibal (2001)
Hannibal
Same chain, movie poster/text main tile, and pertinent charms.
Hannibal
Hannibal shield of Florence tourist charm - thanks, eBay
Hannibal. Yes, those are brains in a pan. Polymer clay brains - that was fun.
Hannibal charms
Hannibal Rising (2007) #2 necklace
Hannibal Rising #2
Hannibal Rising
Too bad I couldn't find a katana charm - this sword had to do. Silver origami charm, locket of Mischa photo, a teddy bear, a moon charm (forget why), Japanese tensha bead, Asian bead, Nazi Germany coin in filigree which I'd found years ago in a costume rental house.
Hannibal Rising
Hannibal Rising
Red Dragon (2002)
Red Dragon
Mahjong tile, moon phase charms, tooth charm, piece of mirror in filigree, and an eye. Had to use the Francis Bacon painting as well.
I forgot that I had so much of that vintage chain!
Red Dragon
Silence of the Lambs
Scissor charms, a lamb, ubiquitous eating utensils, a pearl (Clarice's necklace), starling, handcuffs, and butterfly
Silence of the Lambs
Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal Series Necklace
Necklace Charms
You Are The Honey In The Lion - Resin pendant
Silence of the Lambs cell phone charm (remember cell phone charms?)
Hannibal Films bracelet
Hannibal Films bracelet
Hannibal Locket - great Victorian-style beads and a raw metal filigree locket
I ended up redoing this text piece under resin as it's rather sloppy.
Resin + raw metal can yield discoloration if not sealed before pouring (and sometimes after).
What a trip down memory lane this post was! It was a LOT of work, but most enjoyable. I must ask my customer if she is enjoying the new Hannibal series. Perhaps I'll make something new like these?
