How to make a kiddush cup? All the steps for making a silver kiddush cup
Every piece of Judaica starts it’s life as a sheet of silver. The thickness of the sheet chances by the product and decided by the artist.
Because our products are handmade we choose relatively thick sheets that can withstand all stages of the making process.
After the sheet arrives at our studio we cut it with large scissors into circles with the desired diameter.
Some products require the use of more than one sheet such as a Kiddush Cups , that arrives with the stem and the goblet itself or Extra-large Shabbat Candlesticks and more…
After cutting our circle, the circle goes into the pressing process.
In this process we use a heavy metal model into which we press our sheet using a pressing machine, the use of this machine is very reminiscent of the way wood is carved.
We hold the mold and the sheet together and press with the machine, we apply a special ointment that prevents the sheet from ripping and keeps the finnish unified.
The machine spins at a rapid pace and the presser uses a gentle technique to stretch the sheet onto the model, achieving good results using these techniques takes years of experience. If the product has a curved shape that cannot be separated from the model after pressing we use different, advanced models that can be disassembled.
The pressing process hardens the silver, to keep it softer during the process the silver in heated, after the pressing we move the pieces to our silversmith who continues the work.
If the desired product doesn’t need to be in a shiny finnish
(hammered), we need to hammer it at this point of the process.
After the hammering, the silversmith welds all the parts together to create the finished product, at this stage the product is not yet usable.
After welding the parts together, the silversmith continues on to the decorations, if the product need Filigree decorations he will carefully weld all the intricate curls one by one, if the product has stones in it the silversmith will set them in one after another until the product is finished. Many customers order products with their names welded onto the product, this is done at this point.
After the welding is done, and every piece is connected the product moves on to the next stage, an acid bath.
The acid cleans off any gunk or dirt that may have stuck to the product in any part of the process.
After the acid bath the product needs to be polished, our workers polish every bit with immense care and attention to detail until it is no longer visible that any parts were welded together, and the product has a clean look to it.
If at any point a defect is spotted, the item will be taken back to be fixed at the silversmith.
Once we are done with the polishing the item has a silver matte finish and needs to be shined. During this process we use different types of brushes ranging from the softest to the roughest. Some brushes are made of rubber, velcro, and even hair brushes.
This process is done by a trained professional that knows exactly what type of brush is needed for each product so we can get the desired outcome.
When shining the items, we put soap on every brush, and our workers know how the handle the item so it comes out looking flawless, shining, and inspiring.
From this point on every piece is being handled with silk gloves so no fingerprints or markings appear on our precious items.
If the item is used for drinking or eating it has to be coated in gold so you won’t have to taste the bitter silver.
After the product has been coated with gold it needs to be signes, we mark the piece to show that it is truely made with Sterling silver and the company logo, many customers recognize our work by our signature, and we take great pride in that.
Once the product is finished we pack it, and ship it worldwide!
If you wish to see this process, you are more than welcome to join a tour at our factory! For additional information, press here.
Nice to meet you
Nadav Art is a family gallery and studio located in central Jerusalem, we’ve been crafting Judaica products and jewelry in modern and classic designs for three generations. Over the years we’ve created a loving and loyal customer base and we market our products to clients in Israel, overseas, museums, galleries, and libraries all over the world.
Along with crafting and marketing we host guests and tour groups in our workshop to expose our clients to our unique process and even offer factory prices
The artist Avi Nadav, a third-generation for a family of artists and silversmiths from Yemen, their unique artistic style, attention to detail, and choice of premium materials are being passed down from father to son.
Over the years we found out that this special family story, that started in Yemen and continued with the aliyah, Bezalel art school, Nachlaot neighborhood, and over to the center of Jerusalem has great historical value and encompasses everything that’s beautiful about this land.
The Tour experience in our factory
As years went by we found that all types of visitors and tourists enjoy finding our workshop and hearing our extraordinary story of how metal sheets turn into beautiful silverware or a fancy piece of jewelry.
We allow our visitors to try their hands at crafting the pieces themselves and they always try with big smiles on their faces.
Our target audience is rather diverse and includes Jewish tourists from all over the world, bar/bat mitzvah tours, and Christian pilgrims. Everybody gets excited with us in the presence of Menorahs, Chanukah lamps, and mezuzahs.
Why you should visit us
Over the years more and more companies and manufacturers moved to large-scale industrial productions and cut costs by moving their means of production overseas.
This means that finding quality silverware that was actually hand-made by Jewish silversmiths is not as easy as it used to be.
We are happy to keep crafting our products by hand, right here in the heart of Jerusalem, not far from the last remaining remnant of the holy temple – the western wall.
Those who come to see our workshop can see our ancient Yemen techniques that have been passed down for generations along with the planning and crafting of modern, sophisticated products.
During your visit, you will meet Avi, a great artist who grew up in the world of Judaica and absorbed countless unique inspirations that helped him design products you can’t find anywhere else.
Our location is: 18 Shlomzion Hamalka St. Jerusalem, Israel
For a first impression of our range of products with over 2,000 different products click here
