Shawn Davis presents his newest creation,
Sterling Fish Earrings, in a variety of colors. These simple and elegantly fishy pieces can be worn either casually or formally. They begin with a new hook design employing an embossed barb that does not catch on skin or clothing. The hook is cast in a modern, non-oxidizing sterling silver alloy. The fly is finished with pheasant feathers, trimmed into a fishy shape, in natural or dyed colors.
This is an excellent gift or wearable art for the discerning female angler.
Pattern Notes:
As important as the artistic vision in developing this fly were the practical constraints placed on it. I tasked myself with creating a wearable piece with a much lower price point than my other pieces. It had to be durable and simple enough that it could be tied rather quickly. But it also needed to be fabulous and original! Those constraints made this fly quite difficult to design. The final pattern is elegantly fishy, and was only made possible when I abandoned traditional tying methods and began cutting feathers into shapes using razor blades.
In addition to innovating a new pattern, I also wanted to innovate a new hook style to increase wearability in my pieces while maintaining their overall aesthetic. The biggest problem with wearing a traditional hook, even if the point is dulled, is that the barb can catch on skin or fabric. Omitting the barb is simple to do but denudes the hook of much of its natural beauty. My solution to these problems: Emboss the barb into the hook such that it is still visible but does not catch on anything. This technique solves both the practical problem presented by the barb and the aesthetic problem of omitting it. I believe this to be a major advancement in making flies more practical to wear, and I intend to explore it much more in the future.
Hook: Metal: Non-oxidizing sterling silver. Length: 2.7 cm (1.1 in). Gape: 0.7 cm (0.3 in). This original hook design is cast in a special sterling alloy that resists oxidation much better than does the traditional sterling alloy. While the alloy's precise composition is a closely guarded trade secret, the special ingredient added to stabilize the silver is germanium. A faux barb is embossed into the hook to increase wearability. A stamp of my signature, a script 'SD', has been included in the cast on the rear side of each hook.
Ear Wire: Metal: Non-oxidizing sterling silver. Length: 1.7 cm (0.7 in). This ear wire was chosen because of its resemblance to the clinch knot so often used to attach flies to fishing line.
Thread: Black silk, 6/0.
Wing: Church-window shoulder feather trimmed into the shape of a fish.
Cheeks: Eyed shoulder feather tied in by the rachis with strips of fibers left on both top and bottom (eye portion excluded), followed by a metallic breast feather.
Approximate time to complete this order: 1-2 weeks.