JA Campbell 'Chalice' pure Crystal Claret Jug, one of two striking claret jugs in the 'Appetite' collection. Alternatives are also available in the 'Classic' range.

Handmade in our Brentwood workshop it has an elegant hallmarked sterling silver collar and handle.

This item makes up a high proportion of JA Campbell turnover and for people interested in how we make these a brief description follow:

The crystal blowing: this is done for us by Dartington Crystal in Devon England. The crystal body starts life a 'gob' of molten crystal picked up by the master glass blower in the team from a pot of molten crystal. Using his hollow tube blowing iron he starts to form a bubble in the mass and then places the mass into a carbon mould which is being sprayed with water which will turn to steam as the hot crystal comes into contact. This provides a barrier or cushion to stop the crystal coming into direct contact with the mould therefore minimizing surface scuffs and rings in the finished object. It is removed from the mould and placed into an open furnace 'glory hole' to raise its temperature to the same as the flat base which has been made alongside by other members of the team. The 2 components are then put together and trued up to make sure the decanter sits straight and flat. The whole assembly is now removed from the control rod and placed in a furnace known as a lehr' where it is heated again for several hours and allowed to cool slowly. This gives the crystal strength and without this process it would easily shatter. Next the 'moil' is cut from the decanter top and the stopper is made using a 'gob' of crystal rotated in a carbon half mould. The cooled stopper then has its seat ground using a female tapered grinder and a matching male version used for the inside top of the decanter.

The silversmithing: Again 2 main categories, the spun body and the cast handle. The body is made in 2 parts joined together with silver solder, the top part from a thick material and the lower from a thinner one. Both are made employing the spinning methods an ancient method of making round hollow objects from sheet metal (in this case silver) and in relatively small quantities. Lampshades and kitchen utensils are often made this method. The process starts with the flat silver disc which is coaxed or wrapped around a pre made former on a lathe while it is rotating. The spinning tool used to move the metal is a highly polished steel burnisher fitted into a long wooden handle which is held under the arm and next to the body of the silversmith. This is especially skillful as the disc tires to buckle as it moves off the flat to become a hollow shape. Various intermediate stages are required before the finished shape is reached and at each stage the item is removed from the lathe and 'annealed' made red hot this softens the article which has become work hardened.

Then the 2 body parts are soldered together, the top is cut away on one side to enable the formation of the pouring lip. This is formed by pressing into a simple male and female die, some planishing of this part now takes place to smooth and even the top area. This is then filed, polished and cut into its finished shape.

Lost wax casting: From a handmade brass master pattern a rubber mould is made and into this mould molten wax is injected. Once the wax has cooled and solidified the wax handles are removed, they are placed together onto a central wax stem known as a flask, covered with an open ended steel tube and filled with liquid plaster of Paris. Once the plaster has set the assembly is heated and the wax melted out. The temperature is then raised to around 1200 degrees C to burn out completely any remaining wax; silver is then poured into the recess aided by a centrifuge. Once cooled down to around 200 degrees C the flask is plunged into cold water making the plaster disintegrate and allowing the removal of the castings.

At this stage in the making, the item is sent to the London Assay Office for testing of each and every component. Only if all the components prove to be better than 92.5% are the hallmarks punched into the surface while being supported on a steel stake. The English hallmarking system is one of the oldest and best forms of consumer protection and dates back to the 1400s.

The item is then returned to the silversmith's workshop where it is polished using 4 grades of compound to remove all the spinning lines, file marks, blemishes and scrape marks caused by the Assay Office tests.

The 2 components, handle and body are soldered together using silver solder and pickled in dilute sulphuric acid to remove flux and residues. Next the silver neck assembly is polished using 4 grades of polishing compound and many different size mops until the final luster is reached. It is then ultrasonically cleaned and fixed onto its crystal body using wet plaster of Paris. Once all the excess plaster is removed the item is dried and packed into presentation boxes to await dispatch.

It is most suitable for Claret, but, we're sure you'll agree, it would be wonderful to use it for any wine alongside the matching chalice decanter. 
In the unlikely event of a mishap, we can repair or replace the crystal body.

As you would expect the most suitable wine served from this jug is Claret, which derives from the French word 'Clairet'. This is a protected name in the EU and describes a Bordeau red wine.

Historically, Claret has not always been the deep red we know today, but was closer to a modern Rose. Hence the French term 'Clairet' meaning 'pale'.

Red wines, especially older ones are greatly improved by decanting. Taste and clarity are enhanced by aerating and removing the sediment.

It is supplied in a lined presentation case that makes it ideal to be presented as a corporate gift or award.