Artisans of the Valley's Blog Site

Artisans’ Master Craftsman Eric M. Saperstein recently got the opportunity to interview with www.airtoolreview.com Air Tool Review is a leading educational resource, review and industry news site for everything that´s of interests to professionals and hobbyists that work with air tools. From novice to professional, this site has something for everyone.

Artisans of the Valley Restoration – Louie XV Commode Circa 1750This is a circa 1750 Louie XV Commode – arriving as a 3-legged version of its original form this piece had been broken in one of the most common situations … moving! The formula is very simple: Three moves = one fire.

For those whom are new to our blog site – Artisans of the Valley with our full cast of characters (Eric M. Saperstein, Theresa Tonte, Stanley D. Saperstein, and a rare on camera appearance by Cindy Saperstein) will be featured on EBRU TV’s new show entitled “Blank Canvas.”

Artisans of the Valley reviews the Gem Industries Orbital Polisher – a 16lb perfectly balanced 11″ random orbital sander. Yes – we said 16 (sixteen) pounds, this is no lightweight class machine, it’s a professional grade piece of equipment that will cut your sanding time at least in half and do so without the dreaded “swirl-ees.”

For those whom are new to our blog site – Artisans of the Valley with our full cast of characters (Eric M. Saperstein, Theresa Tonte, Stanley D. Saperstein, and a rare on camera appearance by Cindy Saperstein) will be featured on EBRU TV’s new show entitled “Blank Canvas.”

Artisans Quarterly Review Volume 2 Issue 3 by Artisans of the Valley is available as of August 31, 2009 and may be accessed with any PDF viewer by clicking on the following links or pasting them into our browser.

Part I of our “Investment Grade Blades” article introduced the concept of investing in collectible knives and discussed commissions and purchases from an established master knife maker. Jay Fisher provided our case example for this scenario.When you buy a knife from an artist like Jay – you often gain in value between your initial commission and delivery of the finished piece. This is a fantastic premise if you can afford to purchase and hold knives that are worth several thousand dollars.

Part II will continue to discuss the investment potential of knives made by up and coming or new knife makers using Stacy J. Nabinger as a case example. The whole theory here is exactly the same as speculative investing in a startup company, or dare I say “penny stocks.”

Artisans of the Valley was featured today (August 24, 2009) in a TODL broadcast email reaching out to over 48,000 members of the design and architectural community. (Shown Right) This feature included an eye catching image of Eric M. Saperstein’s wildlife carving of a Ram. These horned sheep, as with most creatures in the wild, make excellent figures for detailed hand carvings.

John Looser (www.extremebirdhouse.com) is recognized as producing some of the best birdhouses in the world, placing in every contest that he’s entered. A craftsman at heart, John employs reclaimed wood to develop monstrous mansions tailored for the needs of various species. The time required to craft these homes is obviously extensive, making bird housing a lifestyle for this Canadian artist.

As we complete the first decade of the of the 21 first Century we at Artisans of the Valley has noticed a new trend in the collectible and Antique markets which challenges the established definition of furniture values. Artisans discusses the trend of restorations focused on circa 1920-1940 “collectible” furniture.