Craftsmanship

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The Luxury House From Africa

Founded on a gift of love for his wife Catja, Patrick’s passion for craftsmanship and the natural world we live in has been passed down through the generations to their four sons.


Growing up immersed in the creative surroundings of their father’s studio, Alexander, Forbes, Patrick Jnr and Benjamin have infused the house of Mavros with their enthusiasm, creativity and passion with a serious pinch of fun...


Lost Wax Casting

AFTER COMPLETION THE HAND CARVED ORIGINAL IS ENCASED IN A RUBBER MOULD, USING HIGH QUALITY RUBBER NOTED FOR ITS GOOD “MEMORY”, RETAINING THE SMALLEST DETAIL, 


THE MODEL IS CAREFULLY CUT FROM THE MOULD AND PLACED IN PATRICK’S ARCHIVES. THE CAVITY IN THE RUBBER MOULD IS THEN SLOWLY FILLED WITH MOLTEN WAX. ONCE THE WAX HAS COOLED AND SOLIDIFIED, IT TOO, IS GENTLY EXTRACTED FROM THE RUBBER MOULD. 


THE WAX REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL IS THEN METICULOUSLY CLEANED AND EXAMINED TO ENSURE EVERY DETAIL HAS BEEN CAPTURED. IT IS THEN ENCASED IN PLASTER, PLACED IN A FURNACE & HEATED. THE HEAT CAUSES THE “LOSS” OF THE WAX, WHICH RUNS OUT THROUGH A TINY APERTURE, LEAVING BEHIND A PERFECT “GHOST” FORM IN THE PLASTER.


MOLTEN SILVER IS THEN POURED INTO THIS HOLLOW AND ALLOWED TO COOL. THEN THE THEATRE BEGINS - THE PLASTER MOULD IS BROKEN OFF, REVEALING THE ANIMAL WITHIN & THE SILVER FILLED “FEED LINES” (HOLLOW CHANNELS THAT ADMITTED THE MOLTEN METAL INTO THE HOLLOW) ARE CUT AWAY.

The art of the Silver sculpture 

SCULPTURES FROM PATRICK MAVROS ARE ALL CAST USING THE “LOST WAX” TECHNIQUE. THE HISTORY OF THIS PROCESS DATES BACK 5000 YEARS AND FOUND ITS HIGHEST EXPRESSION IN THE HANDS OF 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN GOLDSMITH BENVENUTO CELLINI. 


AN ART IN ITSELF, LOST WAX CASTING REQUIRES PAINSTAKING DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE. TO BEGIN THIS NINE-STAGE PROCEDURE, PATRICK MAVROS CARVES AN ORIGINAL TO PRODUCE THE ORIGINAL MODEL. 


EVERY HAND CARVED ORIGINAL IS TESTAMENT TO YEARS OF OBSERVATION AND EXPERIENCE OF THE BEHAVIOR AND MANNERISMS OF WILD ANIMALS.

FINISHING

THE ANIMAL FIGURE IS EXAMINED AND ONLY IF IT IS CONSIDERED FLAWLESS, IS IT CLEANED AND THEN POLISHED TO BRING OUT THE PERFECTION IN EVERY DETAIL. THE SILVER SCULPTURE IS THEN HALLMARKED.


FINALLY, IT MAY BE ATTACHED TO AN INDIVIDUAL BLACKWOOD BASE WITH SOLID SILVER PINS AND THEN IT IS FINALLY READY FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.

Silver from Zimbabwe

THE SILVER USED IN PATRICK MAVROS SCULPTURES IS A BY-PRODUCT OF THE GOLD REFINING PROCESS. GOLD HAS BEEN MINED IN ZIMBABWE FOR OVER FIVE HUNDRED YEARS - THE COUNTRY HAS A RICH HISTORY OF ANCIENT GOLD WORKINGS AND MODERN EXPLORATION.


ZIMBABWEAN SILVER EXHIBITS THE TRADITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEEN AND LUSTRE, AND “FINE” OR “PURE” SILVER IS ALLOYED WITH 7.5% COPPER TO PRODUCE STERLING SILVER. ALL PATRICK MAVROS’ PIECES ARE CAST IN STERLING SILVER.

Zimbabwean Blackwood

SOME OF PATRICK MAVROS’ SILVER PIECES ARE MOUNTED ON NATURAL ROOTS SECTIONS OF ZIMBABWEAN BLACKWOOD (DALBERGIA MELANOXYLON). SINCE THE WOOD IS RESISTANT TO TERMITES, WHEN THE BLACKWOOD TREE DIES, ITS ROOTS REMAIN FOR DECADES IN THE GROUND.


HERE BENEATH THE SOIL OF AFRICA, THEY ARE CURED UNDER IDEAL NATURAL CONDITIONS, DRYING OUT SLOWLY SHEILDED FROM THE SUN AND THE WIND AND GRADUALLY BECOMING IMPREGNATED WITH A PROTECTIVE SEEPAGE OF MINERALS FROM THE SURROUNDING ROCKS.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WOOD

ONLY THE ROOTS OF LONG DEAD TREES ARE USED, BY WHICH TIME THE WOOD IS EXTREMELY HARD AND DURABLE. ITS CLOSE-GRAINED SATINY TEXTURE TAKES A HIGH GLOSS WHEN POLISHED, WHILE NATURALLY SCULPTED FORMS OF THE TREE’S ROOTS LEND THEMSELVES TO PATRICK’S INTERPRETATIONS OF AFRICAN LANDSCAPES. THE ROOT SECTIONS PRESENT EVOCATIVE IMAGES OF FAMILIAR AFRICAN PHENOMENA - A DRY RIVERBED, OR A WATER HOLE, A GRANITE OUTCROP OR TERMITE MOUND.

THE POSSIBLITIES ARE AS INFINITE AS THE LAND ITSELF AND OF COURSE EACH PIECE HAS A UNIQUE ASPECT, A CHARACTER ALL OF ITS OWN LIKE THE TREE THAT PRODUCED IT.

HALLMARKS & AUTHENTICATION

THE WORDS ‘STERLING SILVER’ ORIGINATE FROM THE WORD ‘OOSTERLING’. 800 YEARS AGO KING HENRY II EMPLOYED “OOSTERLINGS” FROM EASTERN EUROPE TO ASSAY COINAGE AND SILVERWARE AND IT WAS THEN THAT 925 THE WORD ‘HALLMARK ORIGINATES FROM THE FACT THAT METALLURGISTS IMPRESSED ARTICLES OF SILVER WITH A MARK THAT DEPICTED THE CLOSEST TOWN HALL TO THE ORIGIN OF THE PIECE. HALLMARKS & AUTHENTICATION PARTS IN A THOUSAND BECAME THE MINIMUM ASSAY STANDARD KNOWN AS STERLING SILVER

CLEANING, CARE & STORAGE OF SILVER

RULE NO 1. - THERE IS ALWAYS A COMPLIMENTARY CLEANING SERVICE FOR ALL PATRICK MAVROS SCULPTURES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW LARGE.

CLEANING, CARE & STORAGE OF SILVER


I RECOMMEND THE USE OF SILVER FOAM AND SILVER SPRAY BY REPUTABLE MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS TOWN TALK, HAGGERTY OR GODDARDS. BY FOLLOWING THEIR DIRECTIONS FOR USE, THESE CLEANING AGENTS CAN BE USED FOR ALL OF PATRICK MAVROS’ SILVER PRODUCTS.

JEWELLERY

MOST PIECES OF JEWELLERY CAN BE CLEANED BY GENTLE RUBBING WITH A SILVER CLEANING CLOTH. THESE CLOTHS ARE AVAILABLE FROM MOST JEWELLERS & DEPARTMENT STORES THAT CARRY SILVER. SOME SILVER DIPPING SOLUTIONS AND SILVER FOAMS ARE ALSO EXCELLENT CLEANERS. JUST REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR JEWELLERY AFTERWARDS WITH SOAP AND WARM WATER.

FREESTANDING SCULPTURES

LIGHT CLEANING WITH A SILVER CLOTH IS USUALLY EFFECTIVE, BUT IF THE TARNISHING IS VERY DARK THEN SILVER FOAM OR A SPRAY SOLUTION CAN BE USED. SOME PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT THE WHITISH RESIDUE IN CRACKS, BUT THIS IS EASILY REMOVED WITH A SOFT TOOTHBRUSH AND HOT WATER.

SCULPTURES ON BLACKWOOD BASES

MOST SMALL ANIMALS ARE FIXED ONTO THEIR BASES, WHILST MOST LARGE ANIMALS CAN BE REMOVED FROM THEIR BASES. SILVER FOAM IS MY CHOICE FOR THESE PRODUCTS. SHOULD THE SOLUTION COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE BASE, SIMPLY APPLY A LITTLE BLACK SHOE POLISH WITH AN EARBUD AND POLISH WITH A SOFT CLOTH.

SALT

SALT SHAKERS ARE GOLD PLATED ON THE INSIDE, BUT SALT DOES HAVE A HABIT OF CORRODING SILVER IF IT BECOMES WET AND IS LEFT FOR A LONG TIME IN THE SHAKER. TRY NOT TO STORE YOUR SHAKERS WITH SALT IN THEM.

LARGE PIECES

GAMEBIRDS, CANDLESTICKS AND CANDELABRA ARE BEST CLEANED BY RUBBING WITH A SILVER CLEANING CLOTH. IF THEY NEED EXTRA ATTENTION, THEN A FOAM OR SPRAY SOLUTION CAN BE APPLIED USING A SPONGE OR SOFT TOOTHBRUSH AND CAN BE WASHED OFF WITH HOT SOAPY WATER. WAX CAN BE REMOVED BY USING A WAX SOLVENT OR HOT WATER AND GENTLE RUBBING.

PERFUME

PERFUME SHOULD NOT BE SPRAYED DIRECTLY ONTO SILVER, PEARLS OR ANY OTHER JEWELLERY FOR THAT MATTER. THIS CAN RAPIDLY ADVANCE TARNISHING AND IN THE CASE OF PEARLS, WILL ACTUALLY REMOVE THEIR LUSTRE.

BATHING OR SWIMMING

SOAP, SUN & WATER ARE ALL WONDERFUL FOR KEEPING SILVER JEWELLERY CLEAN AND LUSTROUS. JUST DON’T LOSE ANYTHING!

BLACKWOOD

THE HAND-FINISHED BLACKWOOD BASE CAN EASILY HAVE ITS SHINE RESTORED BY RUBBING IT WITH A SOFT CLOTH AND SMALL AMOUNT OF BLACK SHOE POLISH. THAT IS HOW WE SHINE THE BASES IN THE WORKSHOP.

SPARE CARDS

NAME CARDS FOR THE PLACECARD HOLDERS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE FROM US AND AT NO EXTRA CHARGE.

STORAGE

DO NOT STORE YOUR JEWELLERY IN THE BLACK PATRICK MAVROS BOXES AS THERE IS ACIDITY IN THESE BOXES THAT WILL TARNISH YOUR SILVER IN THE LONG TERM. 


WHEN STORING OR PACKING SCULPTURES OR JEWELLERY, THE PIECES SHOULD BE FIRST CLEANED, PUT INTO A PLASTIC BAG AND THEN PACKED INTO AN AIRTIGHT PLASTIC CONTAINER. SHOULD ANY OF THESE METHODS FAIL, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US DIRECTLY. WE PROMISE TO DO OUR BEST TO HELP YOU.

EVERY OWNER OF A PATRICK MAVROS SILVER SCULPTURE POSSESSES NOT ONLY AN EXCEPTIONAL WORK OF ART, BUT ALSO A REAL PIECE OF AFRICA.