Abdelah - coppersmith
How long have you been working on nickel silver?
I think I was born in it and I always did it !! I learned my trade when I was very young with my father who taught me this in the tradition that I have been perpetuating for over 30 years.
Are the packaging made in Morocco?
I have a workshop in Marrakesh where we manufacture the decoration that surrounds the flasks of Les Sens products from Marrakech. The creative office of Les Sens de Marrakech submits us a creation, then we give it shape. Sometimes it takes dozens of samples to find the one that works best.
Which is the most difficult, to make the first sample or to reproduce the model thousands of times?
As we do everything by hand and to lighten the work of my team, I make templates on which my workers will work. They will make it easier to have the same shape. It is the identical reproductivity the most difficult for us but these small imperfections also make the particularity of our handmade work. As for the first sample, it's always a real adventure.
Do you have any constraints?
The constraint that we have is the alliance between the beauty of the form, its practical and durable aspect in the time. It is a flexible material and our creations are unlimited.
How many people do you work with?
Normally it is a male job that requires strength. I work with 9 people including 1 woman, which is exceptional in this area.
How long do you need to make a plug?
We take about 10 minutes to make a plug, 20 minutes for a base and a plug. The last operation is the appearance and brilliance that we achieve with a machine that will bring the finishing touch.
If I want to give a boost of brilliance to my bottles, what should I do?
Cut a lemon into 2 and then pass the half-lemon on the metal or use a copper brightener. Its appearance will become as in the first day.