VINTAGE 1950S CANDIDA JOE CALAFATO DESIGNED STERLING SILVER BANGLE (38G)

RARE VINTAGE CANDIDA 1950S DESIGNER PIECE BRACELET BY ONE OF SOUTH AFRICAS TOP CREATIVE SILVERSMITHS, JOE CALAFATO, WHO USED THE NAME CANDIDA, BETWEEN 1947 AND 1972.  

IT HAS A HAND CHASED FLORAL ENGRAVED PATTERN ON ONE SIDE AND IS PLAIN ON THE REVERSE.

CLEARLY STAMPED. BANGLE MEASURES APPROXIMATELY 7 X 6 X 2 CM. 

WAX FILLED WHICH MEANS IN THE DIE CAST PROCESS A RUBBER MOULD, WAX, PLASTER OF PARIS AND A CENTRIFUGAL FORCE IS USED TO PROPERLY DISTRIBUTE THE MOLTEN METAL IN THE MOULD.

APART FROM VINTAGE PATINA NO DAMAGE. HINGE AND CLASP WORKING 100%.
 
SIZE: 70x60x20MM OVAL OUTER EDGE WEIGHT 38G
 
MARKINGS: WAX FILLED STERSILV  CANDIDA STAMPED
 
CONDITION: SILVER HAS A BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE PATINA. STRUCTURALLY VERY GOOD.
 
JOE CALAFATO: Joe Calafato designed and manufactured silver jewellery, flatware and hollowware during the mid to late 20th century in a career spanning 37 years in Pretoria, South Africa.
His work made an important contribution to the development of a uniquely South African design domain and has left a lasting appeal with collectors. His work has become increasingly sought after at antique and collectible markets.
Of Sicilian parentage, Giuseppe Leonardo Calafato was born on the 10th of July 1912 in the then Lorenço Marques (now Maputo) Mozambique. In the 1920s the family moved to Johannesburg. Here he did his apprenticeship as a manufacturing jeweller under Jack Friedman a well-known local jewellery manufacturer of his time.
During his career as independent creative silversmith, he made use of various makers marks. He started using the name Candida as his first makers mark (1947-1972), after which he switched to a number of marks, namely Carina, Velia, JC, Dawu and Joe Calafato.
He sold his business in 1984 and, after a long battle with cancer of the esophagus, the South African King of Silver, Joe Calafato died in 1991 at the age of 79.
Calafato used mainly two processes for producing his jewellery. The press method and a die cast method. In the die cast method a rubber mould, wax, plaster of Paris and a centrifugal force to properly distribute the molten metal in the mould, were used. Chalices, cups and vases were hammered, hard cast as well as lathe spun.
 
PLEASE ALSO SEE MY OTHER ITEMS LISTED. I HAVE SOME OTHER VINTAGE STERLING SILVER BROOCHES ALSO ON AUCTION THIS WEEK.