Thor Bacon has worked at his trade for nearly fifteen years. Though he earned his B.A. in English, he met shortly after graduating the man who,
due to his generosity and vision, took Thor on as his apprentice.

It is Thor’s hope that he’ll one day be able to pass on the knowledge and refinement of his talent to his children, the eldest of whom is seven - and has already made her own ring!



SOME POETRY ON GOLDSMITHING:

The Master Goldsmith
— for my teacher

Youngsters quote Browning at sunset. I read Yeats by
Candlelight. Weeping in your wedding ring, the plundered ankh,
The chieftain’s torque, a goblet from St. Petersburg.

We are so proud of our accomplishments. We race
Around on our errands. But the master goldsmith
Reminds us that the hammer’s weight is what sets the stone.

He shapes her piece slowly, sawing, filing, the tools
Passing so near his fingertips. When Segovia
Waves, the audience does not see his calluses.

The flame moves over the gold like teenagers’ hands.
He is painting with the heat, drawing the solder
Along the seam like geese on their migration path.

And during polishing, the ring’s face deepens, grows darker,
And bright, now able to hold your face in its own;
The sorrowful are the best listeners, and lovers.

Melting gold swirls into a golden orb, shimmers
On its charcoal like the flash in the redwing blackbird’s wing –
Who is it that watches, just outside the ring of candle light?

—Thor Bacon