Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Hand engraving

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Training and recruitment issues: Lack of master engravers able to take on apprentices, and lack of appropriate apprentices. Very few places offer training in Hand Engraving in its own right although some degree courses include it as a module.
  • Training and recruitment issues: There are very few hand engraving firms who have the capacity to take on trainees, the sector is now primarily sole traders
  • Market issues: The professional engravers we speak to are very busy, in particular gun engravers often have waiting lists that go into years.
  • Supply of raw materials, allied materials and tools: The Association has experienced some problems in the last year of getting hold of tools when required for courses (in particular gravers for seal engraving which are slightly different to surface engraving). It has not prevented us from running the courses but has made more challenging.
  • Small business issues: There is support for craftspeople starting out in business selling a product (not specifically for engravers but useful nonetheless). However, there seems to be very little or no support for craftspeople starting out in business offering a service.
  • Ageing workforce: Potential masters are getting older, and there are not many obvious successors.
  • Global and geopolitical issues: British firms that use engravers (not necessarily but including engraving companies) have been using engravers from Europe, in particular gun makers using engravers from Italy; but Brexit and to some extent Covid-19 has prevented this and the British companies are struggling to find professional engravers in the UK to undertake their commissions.

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Add practitioner

Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.