cobre copper sinks

the story

Cobre (Copper in Spanish) fixtures have been made by the Purepecha Indians of Central Mexico since pre-Columbian times. When the Europeans arrived in the 16th century, they found the Purepecha making domestic implements and weapons from copper found in local, above-ground mines. Father Vasco de Quiroga introduced a few refinements; however, little has changed in how the copper is worked and finished. Because the copper mines have long been closed, today the smiths gather and melt discarded copper, from primarily industrial sources, to use in their workshops.

performance

During the bonfire method, coppersmiths take the reclaimed copper and patiently heat and hammer it until the metal is "raised"--meaning the bowl or vase walls are formed. The smith then takes a special hammer to finish the piece. Depending upon the amount of salt in the air and how often the copper piece is handled, the metal will oxidize and the finish becomes matte, as the color darkens to deep browns and reds.