Materials & Artistry

One of the true tropical rosewoods, Cocobolo is a very beautiful wood, ranging from a beautiful rich dark brick red, to reddish or dark brown, with a figuring of darker irregular traces weaving through the wood. It is fine textured and oily in look and feel. Our premium Cocobolo is sourced responsibly from Mexico and Central America.

Beech is an important and widely-used hardwood. Its hardness, wear-resistance, strength, and excellent bending capabilities, make this hardwood a mainstay for many skilled woodworkers. Depending on soil conditions, Beech can grow to very large sizes.
The veneer tends to be slightly darker colored, as slicing the veneer usually requires the wood to be prepared with steam, which gives the wood the beautiful golden tone

Thuya wood (pronounced two-ya) is from the Thuya tree (Tetraclinis articulata in Latin, and Araar in Moroccan). This biblical tree is a conifer from the cedar family, and is exclusively native to Morocco, where it grows only in the forests of the Atlas mountains east of Essaouira.
The praised part of this tree is not the trunk, but the burl buried in the ground. The burl has a deeper color, a more concentrated aroma, and a fascinating grain. Today these burls are very scarce and hard to locate, extract, and transport.

ShokWood is a trademarked wood-resin hybrid material created from several varieties of wood by stabilizing them in urethane resin. The process allows us to feature specific cuts and/or burls that would otherwise be too irregular or inconsistent to be used. The process includes high-pressure casting at 80 psi to minimize air bubbles and aid in a firm and durable bond.

This wood is from a white Oak barrel from the world-famous Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve whiskey, produced by the Buffalo Trace distillery, founded over 200 years ago in Frankfort, Kentucky.

These extraordinary barrels are made from naturally aged, center-cut wood from white oak trees, typically 70-80 years old. The wood is air-dried for 6 months, and each barrel is charred for 55 seconds from an open flame.

This process draws the natural sugars from the oak to the surface and enables the whiskey to penetrate deeply, and draw flavor from the wood. These barrels are the highest standards in the industry and help create the finest whiskey in the world.

The Buffalo Trace aging warehouses date back to as early as 1881, and the variety of warehouses is unmatched, which each warehouse having unique aging properties that allow the whiskey to age differently and create a vast array of flavors. During the winter, steam is pumped in the warehouse, allowing the whiskey additional time to mellow in the oak barrels.

The Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve is a limited edition bourbon that takes generations of distilling know-how to produce. Only the most careful and expensive distilling method can be used to create a whiskey as special as this one. Each barrel ages 23 years and is carefully selected from the heart of the warehouse.

The wood featured in our collections comes from the White House Reconstruction, also known as the Truman Reconstruction: a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House that occurred from 1949 to 1952. A century and a half of wartime destruction and rebuilding, hurried renovations, the added third floor and inadequate foundations had brought the Executive Residence portion of the White House Complex to near-imminent collapse.

In 1948, architectural and engineering investigations deemed it unsafe for occupancy. President Harry S. Truman, his family, and the entire residence staff were relocated across the street to Blair House. For over three years, the White House was gutted, expanded, and rebuilt.

The wood reclaimed from the Reconstruction carries significant historical value.
The proverbial 'If these walls could talk' takes on a special meaning when you carry a piece of those walls in your pocket...

Our Desert Ironwood  is sourced responsibly from Arizona and Northern Mexico, from the lower reaches of the Sonoran desert. It is very hard, very dense, and is one of a handful of woods that sinks in water. Ironwood also features some of the highest contrast and striking patterns of any wood in the world. Once used by the Seri Native Americans of Mexico for tool handles, we proudly offer premium grade ironwood on a variety of William Henry tools.

USS California (BB-44) was the second of two Tennessee-class battleships built for the United States Navy between her keel laying in October 1916 and her commissioning in August 1921. The Tennessee class was part of the standard series of twelve battleships built in the 1910s and 1920s, and were developments of the preceding New Mexico class. They were armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch (360 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets. California served as the flagship of the Battle Fleet in the Pacific Ocean for duration of her peacetime career. She spent the 1920s and 1930s participating in routine fleet training exercises, including the annual Fleet Problems, and cruises around the Americas and further abroad, such as a goodwill visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1925.

California was moored in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked the port, bringing the United States into World War II. The ship was moderately damaged by a pair of torpedoes and a bomb, but a fire disabled the ship's electrical system, preventing the pumps from being used to keep the ship afloat. California slowly filled with water over the following three days and eventually sank. Her crew suffered heavy casualties in the attack and four men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the attack. She was raised in April 1942, repaired and heavily rebuilt, and returned to service in January 1944.

The ship thereafter supported the amphibious operations conducted during the Pacific War, including the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign (though she was damaged in a collision with Tennessee and thus missed the Battle of Peleliu) and the Philippines campaign, during which she took part in the Battle of Surigao Strait. She was hit by a kamikaze during the invasion of Lingayen Gulf in January 1945, after repairs, joined the fleet supporting troops fighting on Okinawa during the Battle of Okinawa. Her crew took part in the occupation of Japan after the end of the war, and after returning to the United States via the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, was laid up in Philadelphia in 1946. She remained in the fleet's inventory until 1959, when she was broken up for scrap.

The name "snake wood" was clearly inspired by the snakeskin-like markings that decorate this exotic wood originally found in Western Australia. Extremely hard and heavy, it is one of the most expensive woods in the world. We use only the finest snakewood, responsibly sourced from Suriname, chosen for outstanding color and pattern. All William Henry's snakewood is resin-stabilized for durability.

America's Historic Horse Chestnut Tree
The last of 13 Horse Chestnut Trees planted by George Washington at Fauquier Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia

George Washington planted thirteen horse chestnut trees on Fauquier Street in downtown Fredericksburg -- one to represent each of the existing colonies. The trees provided shade for his mother and sister as they walked to and from each other's houses

One of the largest, hardiest and most adaptable spruce in the world, Norway blue spruce is a native of Europe, and is commonly called the mountain spruce there. Due to its hardiness and adaptability it has been introduced and thrives in many areas of the world. William Henry uses the pinecones from this majestic tree to create beautiful inlays for our knives. Before use, the pinecone sections are stabilized with a color pigmented resin which enhances the contrast of the veneer and gives the scales a blue or red tonality. All our spruce cone is sourced responsibly.

We are proud to feature the wood reclaimed from the original seats from 'The House that Ruth Built' that were removed during the renovation of 1973

From a baseball standpoint, no field matches the history of New York’s Yankee Stadium. On April 30, 1939, Gehrig played his final game; on May 15, 1941, DiMaggio started his 56-game hitting streak; on October 8, 1956, Don Larsen pitched his World Series perfect game; on October 1, 1961, Roger Maris broke the Babe’s home run record; on May 14, 1967, Mickey hit his 500th home run. Just to remember a few of its most memorable days. 

Box Elder is a species of maple native to North America. The name "Box Elder" is based upon the similarity of its whitish wood to that of boxwood. This tree can grow up to 80 feet, and its burl can develop an intricate maze of fibers that, once sanded and polished, explodes in a mesmerizing, stormy tangle of colors and patterns. This is one of William Henry's most distinctive woods; even the smallest section can contain its own individual and unique passion and personality. All of our woods are sourced responsibly.

Koa is a fabled tree, and wood, sourced responsibly from the Hawaiian islands. It is reddish brown in color, takes a beautiful polish, and can occasionally offer very fine figuring/curl and chattoyance. William Henry uses only the highest grade of figured Koa (as available) for our work, resin-stabilized for durability.

Ebony is a dense black, or black&white hardwood, heavy enough to sink in water. It is finely-textured and has a very smooth finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood.
Ebony has a long history of use, with carved pieces having been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs. Modern uses are largely restricted to small items, such as crucifixes, and musical instrument parts, including black piano and harpsichord keys.Traditionally, the black pieces in chess sets were also made from ebony, with rare boxwood or ivory being used for the white pieces. All our ebony is sourced responsibly.

Black Palm. A beautiful and distinctive wood that is brown/black in color with a toothpick-like series of brown, black and white streaks running along the grain. On end, the grain is solid 'eyes' in a very compressed pattern. Our ebony is sourced responsibly from Southeast Asia, but also from other parts of the world. We resin-stabilize our black palm for durability over time.

The tamarind is a long-lived, medium-growth, bushy tree, originally found in tropical Africa. In the 16th century, it was heavily introduced to Mexico, and to a lesser degree to South America, by Spanish and Portuguese colonists.
The Tamarind we use is spalted (the natural result of insect and rot damage), it has a distinct yellow hue, and it is sourced responsibly. Due to its density and durability, William Henry uses spalted tamarind to produce handle inlays for our pocketknives, and other accessories.

Afzelia xylocarpa is a tree from Southeast Asia. It grows in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma in deciduous forests. It can reach 30 metres tall with a trunk up to 2 metres in diameter in a mature specimen.
The highly figured lumber is often referred to as Afzelia Xylay. William Henry uses the wood to create beautiful knife handles. All our xylay wood is sourced responsibly.

Bocote is an exotic wood growing primarily along the Western coast of Mexico and reaches heights up to 60'. It is also found in Central America, and the West Indies. It features a yellowish brown body with dramatic dark brown to almost black stripes, with wide range of grain patterns from straight to wild, with curved lines and swirls. The color ranges from golden brown to tan to golden yellow. Color tends to darken with age. All our bocote is sourced responsibly.

In 1975, The Eyrie Vineyards produced the first American pinot noir to compete successfully in France with the renowned pinot noirs of Burgundy. Thanks to the close partnership with The Eyrie Vineyards, the 35 year old wood from that original and historic grapevine will live forever in a beautiful limited edition writing instrument by William Henry.

The Eyrie Vineyards was the first winemaker to grow pinot noir in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where the temperatures, rainfall and day-lengths offer the grape its best home outside of Burgundy. In 1979, The Eyrie Vineyards placed in the top ten pinot noirs at the Olympiades des Vins in Paris. Surpassing hundreds of French winemakers, Eyrie’s pinot noir was the first American wine to successfully compete with the French Burgundies.
Hoping to overturn the rank achieved in Paris, a challenge tasting was restaged in Beaune in 1980, and to the wine world’s disbelief, Eyrie’s 1975 South Block Reserve came in only 2/10ths of a point below the winner, the 1959 Chambolle-Musigny from Joseph Drouhin.

The Eyrie Vineyards is a pioneer in American winemaking - a small business whose tireless and creative work has inspired and guided the United States among the most respected and top ranking wine producers in the world

From a Woolly Mammoth that walked the Earth at least 10,000 years ago.
Modern humans coexisted with woolly mammoths during the Upper Paleolithic period when they entered Europe from Africa between 30,000 and 40,000 years ago. Prior to this, Neanderthals had coexisted with mammoths during the Middle Paleolithic and up to that time. Woolly mammoths were very important to Ice Age humans, and their survival may have depended on these animals in some areas.

The woolly mammoth is the next most depicted animal in Ice Age art after horses and bisons, and these images were produced up to 11,500 years ago. Today, more than five hundred depictions of woolly mammoths are known, in media ranging from carvings and cave paintings located in 46 caves in Russia, France and Spain, to sculptures and engravings made from different materials.

William Henry's fossil Mammoth tooth is harvested in Alaska and Siberia. It is a rare and mesmerizing material, a living testimony of the dawn of Mankind.

Dinosaur Bone is probably the most exotic of our fossil materials — the fossil comes from a 100 million year-old Apatosaurus. Found and sourced in Utah, dinosaur bone offers the possibility of owning one of the most ancient zoological testaments of the planet. The colors can vary from red to brown, black and green, depending on the minerals surrounding the bone as it became petrified.  

Here is a stunning 40lb specimen we shot here at the studio.

 

Apple coral is part of the species of corals known as melithaea sponge, which is commonly found on the ocean floors around the waters of Taiwan, Indonesia and southern China.

Mammoth Fusion is made of real mammoth tusk fragments dating back to the last ice age (10,000-40,000 BP). The supplier of this material has developed a unique high-pressure treatment to stabilize and fuse these fragments into solid blocks. The result is a beautiful and hard composite that is densely packed with mammoth ivory. The natural colors and fragment sizes vary greatly, depending on the temperature, humidity and sediment composition where the fossil is found. No two pieces are ever alike.

From a Woolly Mammoth that walked the Earth at least 10,000 years ago.

Modern humans coexisted with woolly mammoths during the Upper Paleolithic period when they entered Europe from Africa between 30,000 and 40,000 years ago. Prior to this, Neanderthals had coexisted with mammoths during the Middle Paleolithic and up to that time. Woolly mammoths were very important to Ice Age humans, and their survival may have depended on these animals in some areas.

The woolly mammoth is the next most depicted animal in Ice Age art after horses and bisons, and these images were produced up to 11.500 years ago. Today, more than five hundred depictions of woolly mammoths are known, in media ranging from carvings and cave paintings located in 46 caves in Russia, France and Spain, to sculptures and engravings made from different materials.

William Henry's fossil Mammoth bone is harvested in Alaska and Siberia. It is a rare and mesmerizing material, a living testimony of the dawn of Mankind.

Mother of Pearl is the common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells. William Henry uses premium mother of pearl material sourced directly from suppliers in Australia, selected for maximum color and figure.

According to geologists, this fossil coral is approximately 110,000 years old.  Found in abundance in Florida quarry mines, these exquisite scales are hand-picked findings which would otherwise be crushed and used in cement.   Fossil coral is not living coral, therefore has no odors.

Apple coral is part of the species of corals known as melithaea sponge, which is commonly found on the ocean floors around the waters of Taiwan, Indonesia and southern China. The destruction of coral reefs around the world led to a global ban on coral mining and collecting in 1992, but apple coral was not included.
The United States has placed a ban on shipping coral in and out of the country, but there is no ban on the melithaea sponge corals.
Our apple coral is infused with zinc to obtain a beautiful and original pattern. 

Goldlip Mother of Pearl is scientifically the same as White M.O.P. only that Gold is taken from the reverse side of the shell. Good quality dark Gold shells come from the waters surrounding the Philippines and parts of Indonesia. The gold section is a thin lip — like a veneer — of natural color that is carefully selected and worked to yield the deepest possible gold tones.

South Sea pearls, treasured for centuries, are the ultimate statement of luxury and glamour. These large, creamy white and golden pearls are cultured in the South Pacific and are treasured for their opulence in breathtaking jewelry creations.

Explorers have coveted natural South Sea pearls for thousands of years, so much so that by the 19th century, the oysters producing these voluminous pearls were nearly extinct. Shortly after people began culturing Akoya pearls in Japan, producers began trying to culture South Sea pearls in the South Pacific, finally becoming commercially successful in the 1950s.

Today, these luxurious pearls are cultured in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Japan and Thailand.

Blacklip Mother of Pearl is one of the most exclusive pearls in the world. It comes from small shells found in French Polynesia around Tahiti and its Archipelagos. Just under the exterior bark of the shell is where the real beauty of the Blacklip shell lies. A nice pair of Blacklip will have every color of the rainbow in its iridescent black background. We source our Blacklip directly from shell farmers in Tahiti to ensure sustainability and top quality material.

Damascus steel was a term used by several Western cultures from the Medieval period onward to describe a type of steel created in India and used in sword making from about 300 BC to 1700 AD. These swords were characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be not only tough and resistant to shattering, but capable of being honed to a sharp and resilient edge. William Henry's damascus is made from several types of steel welded together to form a billet.
The patterns vary depending on how the damascus artist works the billet. The billet is drawn out and folded until the desired number of layers are formed. William Henry damascus billets are forged with a minimum of 300 layers. William Henry works with a handful of the very best damascus artists/forgers in the U.S.

This beautiful William Henry exclusive blade steel (patent pending) incorporates copper and stainless steel into a 45 layer Wave Damascus that features a core of VG-5 stainless steel. This steel attains a hardness of HRC 59, excellent by any standards, at the cutting edge.

William Henry's patent-pending Wave Damascus features a core in ZDP-189 (HRC 67) or VG-10 (cryo-tempered to a hardness of HRC 61) for superior sharpness and edge retention over time. The core of the blade is clad with alternating layers of stainless steel and nickel silver. The billet, 45 layers in all, is patterned with a custom die to create the undulating waves that emerge across the bevels of the blade. This material can be dark-etched for contrast, or etched and re-polished for a more subtle pattern.

This material obtained by immersing a traditional damascus billet it in an acid solution. The process creates a striking visual contrast by enhancing the components that are more susceptible to the etching of the acid.

William Henry’s VG-10 damascus is created from billets with 67 layers of three different alloys.  The center, or core, features premium VG-10 stainless steel tempered to an optimal hardness of HRC 60-61 for exceptional sharpness and wear resistance.  The core is sandwiched between 33 layers of alternating nickel and steel which we use for tensile strength thru the blade, and to reveal the remarkable forged patterns within the composite alloys in the finished piece of steel.  Our final acid etch and hand-polish reveals the tapestry within, as each alloy reacts to the acid and emerges in contrasting tones of black, grey, and silver.  Each unique pattern is created by different forging dies used on each sandwiched billet of steel.

William Henry’s 10Cr15Mov Damascus is created from billets with 103 layers of three different alloys. The center, or core, features premium 10Cr15MoV stainless steel tempered to an optimal hardness of HRC 60-61 for exceptional sharpness and wear resistance – this is the durable “core” alloy that creates our exceptional edge. This core is sandwiched between 52 layers (on each side) of alternating nickel alloy and stainless steel which we use for tensile strength thru the blade, and to reveal the remarkable forged patterns within the composite alloys in the finished piece of steel. Our final acid etch and hand-polish reveals the tapestry within, and each unique pattern is created by different forging dies that imprint thru the 103 layers in each billet.

Engraving is one of the most recognized and exacting adornments on metal, and most of our engraving is done on stainless steel, and occasionally - on Titanium, adding layers of difficulty to the process. William Henry works with a select group of world-famous master engravers to create very limited edition pieces on an ongoing basis. Each edition, or piece, is carefully conceived and executed by William Henry and the engraver, and every finished engraving is hand-signed by the artist.

Gold-inlaid Engraving is another, even more complex, rendition of a classic art form. This involves creating a fine engraving with deep relief, then inlaying 24K gold (or different metals) into select portions of the engraving. If done in damascus, we then heat-color the frame which creates a beautiful darker background to highlight the gold inlay.

Koftgari is the name for fine gold (and/or silver) patterns inlaid into parkerized steel. This ancient Indian technique, done entirely by hand, involves creating a very fine cross-hatch grid in the steel and then burnishing 24K gold (and/or silver) into a pattern that is bound by the cross-hatch. Parkerizing involves soaking the steel in a boiling solution of salts to oxidize the steel a deep brown/blue. Beautiful and timeless, koftgari is nearly a lost art.

William Henry's koftgari comes from 2 small villages in India, home of the very few Indian artisans that still master this technique.

Carved Silver is done by hand with chisels and rotary tools. William Henry works with the finest silversmiths to create elaborate (and durable) carvings in sterling silver. In many cases, we use colored sapphires and other precious stones, set in 18K gold bezels, to further decorate these masterful carvings.

Mother of Pearl is the common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells. William Henry uses premium mother of pearl material sourced directly from suppliers in Australia, selected for maximum color and figure. Most of our hand-carved mother of pearl is created in Bali by Lee Downey, who also works on most of our carved silver pieces.

Maki-e (literally sprinkled picture) is the ancient Japanese technique of sprinkling a smooth surface (originally lacquer) with gold or silver powder as a decoration using a specialized and delicate brush.

The technique was developed mainly in the Heian Period (794–1185) and blossomed in the Edo Period (1603–1868). Maki-e objects were initially designed as household items for court nobles, they soon gained more popularity and were adopted by royal families and military leaders as an indication of power. To create different colors and textures, maki-e artists use a variety of metal powders including gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, aluminum, platinum, pewter, as well as their alloys.

As it requires highly-skilled craftsmanship to produce a maki-e painting, young artists usually go through many years of training to develop the skills and to ultimately become maki-e masters. 

Andrew spent thirty plus years in the graphics art industry and watched it go quickly from 'hands on' to computer based. To try and retain his love of designing by hand, he took up the art of hand engraving as a hobby.  He quickly found his niche and enjoyed getting back to the basics of pencil and paper - combined with the hands on engraving techniques that are essential to this art.

Andrew Biggs is now a full time professional engraver living in Christchurch, New Zealand. Andrew is conversant in many styles of hand engraving and particularly enjoys designs based on indigenous art - using scrollwork as a medium to carry the design. He combines and reimagines these art forms into his own unique style and his engravings often tell an underlying story within the engraving.

Every aspect of hand engraving is of course important but the design is alwaysfirst. Andrew will often draw several drafts before being satisfied and finally committing to a finished design. The emphasis on very aspect of his work is quality. This is important for his own artistic integrity as well as ensuring that clients have something timeless - that they can hand down to future generations with pride.

Jake Newell was introduced to the art of hand engraving in the fall of 2006 while attending Emporia State University in Kansas. Since then, he has been fortunate enough to continue his study of engraving through several courses at the GRS Training Center and under the direction of Christian DeCamillis. Jake graduated from Emporia State in May 2009 with a degree in Art Education and is currently an engraving insructor at the GRS Training Center. Jake completes most of his engraving on the road while traveling and volunteering for non- profit organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

Lee Downey is a California-born artist based in the ancient village of Tampaksiring, Bali, since 1984.

At the time of his arrival, the renowned carving tradition of the village was suffering from a lack of quality carving material. Downey not only played a key role in the survival of the tradition through the introduction of fossil ivory, but also helped create a distinctive new style influenced by his lifelong fascination with skeletons, fossils and natural specimens. His precious work for William Henry includes all the hand-carved silver designs and patterns of our collections, as well as most of the hand-carved mother of pearl.

The combination of limited production, virtuoso workmanship and startling one-of-a-kind designs continues to win Downey increasing recognition, and William Henry is proud to count him among our most prolific artists.

Don Patch was a custom gunsmith for 13 years before becoming an engraver. He specializes in high quality bulino game scenes as well as all types of scroll and precious metal inlays. Mr. Patch can reproduce any of the styles of factory gun engraving. He was fortunate to have lived near Lynton Mckenzie and his engraving was greatly influenced by him. Mr. Patch is also a member of the Firearms Engravers Guild.

Joanne Ryall was Born in England, I am still lucky enough to live deep in the Countryside, near the South West coast, surrounded by rich wildlife and stunning scenery. Her uncle was a sculptor and artist, and awakened in her a love of art, and the details there-in. At the same time, her father was busily ensuring she developed a passion for firearms and shooting.
You would often find her in the metalwork or woodwork shop at school, rather than needlepoint, or cookery classes! When she left school, she trained and worked as a sign writer.
Other business avenues, eventually took her attention, flourished, and allowed her the luxury of returning to concentrate on her passion for both hunting and art combined.
Her hunting has taken her across the world, and allowed her to amass a store of experiences on different continents. Wanting to capture these memories and images, the detail possible with Scrimshaw and engraving has provided a natural medium for her.

Bottega Incisioni di Cesare Giovanelli was founded in 1955 by a very young Cesare Giovanelli whose strongest dream was to perpetuate the very ancient craft of metal engraving.  Cesare started engraving in his own home kitchen. He was so skilled ,devoted and motivated that within just a few years he had enough work and resources to found his dream in a small village uphill of Gardone, Valtrompia - in the province of Brescia, Italy.

Today, Bottega Incisioni consists of forty-five people spread over various departments. Its core is a group of twenty top Italian engravers led by Master Engraver Dario Cortini, whose work is recognized and appreciated the world over. The studio engraves unique pieces manufactured by some of the most prestigious brands, including watches, knives, jewelry, pens, firearms and more.

In addition to their world class engraving services they also feel the need to help prepare the future of engraving - by offering hands on training to qualified students. With this education and training, passionate students can develop their own unique voice and contribute to the future of this marvelous art form.

Jeff Parke has a true passion for the art of hand engraving.  His life’s work has centered around hand craftsmanship  - and jewelry.  From a retail store, to sales, to gemstone setting, to engraving, to intricate metal work and more, these are his main passions.  Over the years he has become a skilled goldsmith and silversmith. He is also experienced using hand push ‘burins’ to set stones as a jeweler. This intricate skill set has helped prepare his hands and eyes for the world of fine engraving. As his engraving skills have grown, he has pursued higher and higher levels – with the tutelage of some of the worlds most talented engravers, such as Jason Marchiafava, Alain Lovenberg and Sam Alfano.  All his work is done completely by hand and the final product is truly a piece of lasting beauty and craftsmanship.

Tim began his career as a full time engraver in 1981 as an apprentice under a Colt Firearms master engraver(Ken Hurst). He soon became efficient enough to design scrollwork and scenes and started his own career in 1985. In 1990 he earned his “Master” status by The Firearms Engravers Guild of America ( FEGA ). Since then his wonderful engraving has been featured in firearms and knife books and magazines all over the world. He is one of the few American engravers that still uses the time honored method of “hammer and chisel” to achieve small miracles in steel and you’ll find samples of his work spread across the globe!

Tom's path to engraving was a tortuous one, although to this day, he still think of himself more as a sculptor than engraver.  Strange as it may seem, his engraving career began by flying F-111A fighter bombers in the US Air Force (the “Switchblade Edsel” ). His military career required that he have skills in 4D, which helped set a foundation for his future engraving.
He began by carving contemporary netsuke (tiny highly detailed carvings) for the first nine years of his second career.  In 2002, the market for netsuke took a downturn, so he had to start casting about for new canvasses to engrave/sculpt.  Once he got initiated to metal and the precision tools employed to do the work -  one Lindsay Palm Control Airgraver later and his new infatuation was in full bloom.  Plus, the engraving world has lots of impressive toys to accumulate, stimulating another of his obsessions, to say nothing of his Air Force-influenced preoccupation with new and expensive technology.

Fortunately, he had already mastered the most difficult skills.  Artistic composition and modeling were still directly applicable to the completely new materials and new looks. He now work with a range of materials including titanium, gold and some of the Japanese ‘art metals’ of shibuichi (copper and silver alloys) and shakudo (copper and gold alloys) just to name a few.  And, of course, steel. He fell in love with steel immediately.  It is hard, and holds detail magnificently; colored, it can be silver, brown or black. William Henry is proud to be working with such skills and personality.

Miniature fine carving is Aleksey Saburov's professional specialty, something for which he has a great passion. Throughout his life, a man constantly tries to capture pieces of his life story: loved ones, great moments from traveling or pursuing other worthwhile endeavors. With your camera handy, whatever strikes you most and leaves an impression – click – add it to your photo album.
Aleksey does something similar, namely create a slice of history that one can add to his or her own collection. But this is far better. The satisfaction of feeling a miniature sculpture in your own hand will last you a lot longer than any photograph. And it is especially valuable as an artisanal creation done by hand, unlike mechanized photo processing. To touch, to get a feel of it – is very real. A photograph is just a first impression of that moment.

First comes an idea which Aleksey delevops with William Henry. It is sketched out and then transferred onto metal. The best part is bas-relief done real-coin style – with embossed volume you can feel. This style is sculptural, far more time consuming, and more expensive to produce, but allows for the form to be felt and the texture be embossed.

Melissa’s artistic pursuits began at an early age and evolved over time, leading her into her greatest passion - hand engraving.  In grade school, she ran afoul of school rules running an underground clay figure hustle.  Undeterred by detention, her interest in sculpture continued through high school where some questionable pieces went unnoticed, while her Piece de Resistance’ surpassed her teachers' works in a local art show - winning her first place and much awkwardness.

While pursuing a degree in Organismal Biology, Melissa expanded her artistic skill set to include the art of hand pinstriping.  Upon graduation, her pinstripers’ brush led her to Los Angeles.  She put her degree to use, working for various life science companies.

With the steady income of Corporate life, Melissa continued painting, and leatherworking in off hours.  She soon found her passion for hand engraving, mentoring under the amazingly talented master engraver John Barraclough. With the encouragement of her husband, she decided to ditch the corporate world for the fame and misfortune of a full-time artisan and engraver.   Along with “Snake” Plissken, they escaped LA and built her first studio just outside of Yosemite National Park. 

 Her engraving continues to expand and diversify, with some of her hand engraved cigar cutters riding shotgun with US special forces operators, and engraved knives and leather knife rolls on the rivers of the west with the guides of ARTA river trips. Her artistic ambitions are to explore new and unique canvases in which to engrave, while using her unique and personal style to enhance and highlight the traditional art forms which hand engraved pieces have historically showcased.  

William Henry uses beautiful sections of the Gibeon Meteorite, which fell in prehistoric times in Namibia. It was named after the nearest town: Gibeon
The fragments of the meteorite in the strewn field are dispersed over an elliptical area 171 miles long and 62 miles wide; it was discovered by the local Nama people and used by them to make tools and weapons.
In 1836 the English captain J. E. Alexander collected samples of the meteorite and sent them to London. There John Herschel analyzed them and confirmed for the first time the extraterrestrial nature of the material.

The Gibeon meteorite is composed of an iron-nickel alloy containing significant amounts of cobalt and phosphorus. The crystal structure of this meteorite provides a fine example of the Widmanstätten patterns: these  figures of long nickel-iron crystals are of extraterrestrial origin, and cannot occur naturally on earth.  As a purely  natural material, the patterns may include small inclusions, distinctive and unique to each item we produce.

Sodalite is a rich royal blue tectosilicate mineral which owes its name to its rich sodium content. Well known for its blue color, sodalite may also be grey, yellow, green, or pink and is often mottled with white veins or patches. William Henry uses the more uniformly blue stones for our jewelry.

With its beauty and wide-ranging expressiveness, jade has held a special attraction for mankind for almost 7,000 years.
Still today, this gem is regarded as a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious. It embodies the Confucian virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage, yet it also symbolises the female-erotic.
It comes in many fine nuances of green, but also in shades of white, grey, black, yellow, and orange and in delicate violet tones. Only in the very finest jade is the colour evenly distributed. 

African Turquoise is a type of jasper found in Africa. It has a dark matrix and an interesting blend of base colors, a little greener than most turquoise. Enhancing its role as a turquoise substitute is its matrix, which also resembles turquoise matrix.
It is considered the ‘Stone of Evolution’, and thought to bring encouragement for growth, development and positive change within life itself.

The Kingman Turquoise Mine in Arizona is one of the oldest and highest producing Turquoise Mines in America. It was originally discovered by prehistoric Indians well over 1,000 years ago. Kingman Turquoise is known for its beautiful sky blue color and produces many variations of blue Turquoise.
Our Zinc-Matrix Turquoise is made with Kingman Turquoise infused with zinc, creating a striking contrast between the soft blues of the Turquoise and the shiny, contemporary look of the metal.

Carnelian is a beautiful brownish-red mineral which has ben used as a semi-precious gemstone for thousands of years. Carnelian was recovered from Bronze Age Minoan layers at Knossos on Crete in a form that demonstrated its use in decorative arts - This use dates to approximately 1800 BC. Carnelian was also used widely during Roman times to make engraved gems for signet or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax on correspondence or other important documents (hot wax does not stick to carnelian). 

William Henry uses Carnelian as an inlay or decorative gemstone on several of our collections.

Lapis lazuli, or lapis for short, is a deep blue, semi-precious stone prized since antiquity for its intense color. As early as the 7th millennium BC, lapis lazuli was mined in the Sar-i Sang mines, in Shortugai, and in other mines in the Badakhshan province in northeast Afghanistan.

At the end of the Middle Ages, lapis lazuli began to be exported to Europe, where it was ground into powder and made into ultramarine, the finest and most expensive of all blue pigments. It was used by some of the most important artists of the Renaissance and Baroque, including Masaccio, Perugino, Titian and Vermeer, and was often reserved for the clothing of the central figures of their paintings, especially the Virgin Mary.

Tiger's eye is a chatoyant gemstone that is usually a metamorphic rock with a golden to red-brown color and a silky luster. As members of the quartz group, tiger's eye and the related blue-colored mineral hawk's eye gain their silky, lustrous appearance from the parallel intergrowth of quartz crystals and altered amphibole fibers.

Red Tiger Eye aids is believed to help enhance confidence and self-esteem. It provides motivation to the non-motivated and energizes those who are feeling lethargic.

Agate is a translucent variety of microcrystalline quartz. It generally forms by the deposition of silica from groundwater in the cavities of igneous rocks. The agate deposits in concentric layers around the walls of the cavity, or in horizontal layers building up from the bottom of the cavity. These structures produce the banded patterns that are characteristic of many agates.

Agate is believed to have a stabilizing effect on the body, cleansing at the physical and emotional level.
Tibetan agate, in particular, produces strength, power and courage, enhances truthfulness and brings forth understanding.

Labradorite is a feldspar mineral that is most often found in rocks such as basalt, gabbro, and norite.
Some specimens of labradorite exhibit a schiller effect, which is a strong play of iridescent blue, green, red, orange, and yellow colors as shown in the photographs. Labradorite is so well known for these spectacular displays of color that the phenomenon is known as "labradorescence"

Labradorite is known for its changing colors, so it is no surprise this gemstone is known as a stone of transformation, enhancing strength of will and inner worth.

William Henry uses specimens with the highest quality labradorescence as gemstones in our collections of jewelry.

Banded Agate, also known as "Layered Agate" comes with a band like layers of microscopic Quartz crystals. It is formed from the deposition of layers of silica, in volcanic vesicles or other cavities. Layers and bands inside the stone are formed in stages and add to the beauty of this unique gemstone.
Just like the most of agate stones, the formation of banded agate occurred during volcanic eruptions when this stone is formed in cavities. Over time, layers of different inclusions created recognizable bands inside the stone. In many cases, the cavity of the stone is not fully filled leaving hollow void inside it.

Banded Agate is considered as a great stone for healing mind, the body, and the spirit. It is used for protection, security and used for moral stability.

A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most historically significant colored stones. It is mentioned four times in the Bible, in association with attributes like beauty and wisdom. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, ruby is called ratnaraj, or “king of precious stones.” 
The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means “red.” The glowing red of ruby suggested an inextinguishable flame burning in the stone, even shining through clothing and able to boil water. 

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. It is a semiprecious stone and is the traditional birthstone for February.
Because of its wine-like color, early Greek legends associated amethyst with Bacchus, the god of wine. Other legends reflected beliefs that amethyst kept its wearer clear-headed and quick-witted in battle and in business affairs. Because amethyst was associated with wine, it was believed that wearing amethyst prevented drunkeness. 

Citrine is a variety of quartz whose color ranges from a pale yellow to brown due to ferric impurities.
The name is derived from Latin citrina which means "yellow" and is also the origin of the word "citron." Sometimes citrine and amethyst can be found together in the same crystal, which is then referred to as ametrine. 

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek αδάμας (adámas), "proper", "unalterable", "unbreakable". Diamonds have a long history as beautiful objects of desire. In the first century AD, the Roman naturalist Pliny stated: “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things in this world.”

The world’s love of diamonds had its start in India, where diamonds were gathered from the country’s rivers and streams. Some historians estimate that India was trading in diamonds as early as the fourth century BC.
The popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques. Aside from our jewelry collection, William Henry also inlays diamonds in pocketknives, pens, and money clips.

Traditionally, sapphire symbolizes nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. It has decorated the robes of royalty and clergy members for centuries. Its extraordinary color is the standard against which other blue gems—from topaz to tanzanite—are measured. In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens were convinced that blue sapphires protected their owners from envy and harm. For centuries, sapphire has also been associated with royalty and romance. The association was reinforced in 1981, when Britain’s Prince Charles gave a blue sapphire engagement ring to Lady Diana Spencer. 
William Henry uses the highest quality sapphires, selected and cut by Swarovski Gems. 

Natural spinel is a gemstone that has become a great favorite with gem dealers and gem collectors; one might even say that spinel is for gemstone connoisseurs only.
It is a hard glassy mineral occurring as octahedral crystals of variable color and consisting chiefly of magnesium and aluminum oxides.
Some spinels are among the most famous gemstones in the world: among them are the Black Prince's Ruby and the "Timur Ruby" in the British Crown Jewels, and the "Côte de Bretagne", formerly from the French Crown jewels.

In ancient Rome, this gem symbolized love and hope. The Romans gave it a name—opalus—that was synonymous with “precious stone.”
Many cultures have credited opal with supernatural origins and powers. Arabic legends say it falls from the heavens in flashes of lightning. The ancient Greeks believed opals gave their owners the gift of prophecy and guarded them from disease. Europeans have long considered the gem a symbol of hope, purity, and truth.
Opal is considered an October birthstone; throughout most of history, it has been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems because it can show all colors. 

Topaz is a rare, extremely hard gemstone with an exceptionally wide color range that, besides brown, includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple.
The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength. In Europe during the Renaissance (the period from the 1300s to the 1600s) people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger. For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.

Today, topaz is one of the US birthstones for November, while blue topaz is a birthstone for December

Spessartite is an orange to red-brown gemstone that belongs to the large and varied garnet species. While it was once just a collector's gem, spessartite, an orange variety of garnet, made its move into the mainstream during the 1990s when new deposits were discovered in Africa.
Like most garnets, spessartite is typically untreated, so the beautiful color and clarity that you see in them is just as nature created it. Spessartite garnet is named after its first discovery in Spessart, Bavaria, in the mid 1800's.

Smoky quartz is a grey, translucent variety of quartz. It ranges in clarity from almost complete transparency to a brownish-gray crystal that is almost opaque.
Smoky Quartz was known as a Stone of Power. To the ancient Druids, it was sacred and signified the potent dark power of Earth gods and goddesses.

Topaz is a rare, extremely hard gemstone with an exceptionally wide color range that, besides brown, includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple.
The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength. In Europe during the Renaissance (the period from the 1300s to the 1600s) people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger. For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.

Today, topaz is one of the US birthstones for November, while blue topaz is a birthstone for December

Topaz is a rare, extremely hard gemstone with an exceptionally wide color range that, besides brown, includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple.
The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength. In Europe during the Renaissance (the period from the 1300s to the 1600s) people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger. For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.
Blazing red topaz is an enduring symbol of love and affection; it brings long-lasting friendship and ensures the fidelity of the one you love. When worn it is said to relieve negative emotions and bring friendship.
Early Egyptians viewed topaz as the "gem of the sun " believing that the sun god Ra bestowed it with a golden glow..

Corundum is the hardest mineral after Diamond, making it the second hardest mineral in the world.
Corundum has two primary gem varieties: ruby and sapphire. Rubies are red due to the presence of chromium, and sapphires exhibit a range of colors depending on what transition metal is present.
William Henry uses blue and white corundum sapphires set in 18K gold by Swarovski Gems.

Corundum is the hardest mineral after Diamond, making it the second hardest mineral in the world.
Corundum has two primary gem varieties: ruby and sapphire. Rubies are red due to the presence of chromium, and sapphires exhibit a range of colors depending on what transition metal is present.
William Henry uses blue and white corundum sapphires set in 18K gold by Swarovski Gems.

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek αδάμας (adámas), "proper", "unalterable", "unbreakable". Diamonds have a long history as beautiful objects of desire. In the first century AD, the Roman naturalist Pliny stated: “Diamond is the most valuable, not only of precious stones, but of all things in this world.”

The world’s love of diamonds had its start in India, where diamonds were gathered from the country’s rivers and streams. Some historians estimate that India was trading in diamonds as early as the fourth century BC.
The popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques.

Black diamonds are opaque diamonds with a black color that is the result of a color heat treatment. Aside from our jewelry collection, William Henry also inlays black diamonds in pocketknives, pens, and money clips.

Iolite is the gemstone variety of the mineral cordierite. Typically, iolite ranges in color from light to dark blue, and even violet.
It has also been called "water-sapphire" and "Vikings' Compass" because it is said that ancient Viking navigators used thin slices of iolite as filters to help locate the sun on cloudy days. Whether or not the tales are true, iolite can be fashioned into beautiful gems.