This small sterling silver Maltese boat is handcrafted using the filigree technique. Each piece of the boat has been made separately, piece by piece, and are soldered together once shaped.
Length 6 cm
Width 1.3 cm
Height 4.6 cm
©Inigo Taylor
©Inigo Taylor
©Inigo Taylor
©Inigo Taylor
©Inigo Taylor
Gaetano Saliba
- Jewellery maker
- Marsaskala, Malta
- Master Artisan
- Recommended by Malta Creative Collective
Contact
Maltese, English
Address:
19 Kavetti, 3472 Marsaskala, Malta
19 Kavetti, 3472 Marsaskala, Malta
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+356 27367508
+356 27367508
©Inigo Taylor
The art of preserving filigree
- • Gaetano showcases Maltese filigree craftsmanship internationally
- • His first piece of silver filigree was a large butterfly brooch
- • He has trained numerous local and foreign apprentices
Few in Malta hold the expertise and knowledge of filigree craftsmanship as Gaetano Saliba, who has been perfecting his skills since he began crafting silver when he was just 17 years old. Inheriting tools and a passion from his father – who himself was a silversmith – Gaetano trained in the art of filigree with some of the few masters that were alive back then, and refined his skills by taking a course at the Malta School of Art. He opened his workshop in 1989, and ever since, he has been working assiduously to preserve this traditional craft, creating unique filigree pieces while attending local and international trade fairs to showcase and share his art with the world. While he re-interprets traditional motifs, inspiration drives him to refine and polish older designs to fit contemporary settings, always remaining true to the values of quality and attention to detail.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: ©Inigo Taylor
Maltese boat
Photo: ©Inigo Taylor
Leaf brooch
This elegant sterling silver brooch is shaped like a leaf using the filigree technique. The detailing and spacing between the long silver wires gives this piece of jewellery a three-dimensional impression, accentuated through its transparency.
Length 5.7 cm
Width 2.2 cm
Height 1 cm
Photo: ©Inigo Taylor
Filigree tray
This sterling silver tray, designed with the Maltese cross in the middle, has been shaped using the filigree technique. Pure silver wires have been twisted in different ways creating an intricate interplay of lines and minute empty spaces.
Length 10.5 cm
Width 10.5 cm
Height 1.2 cm
Photo: ©Inigo Taylor
Bracelet with links
This handcrafted bracelet has been built through a combination of sterling silver links and sterling silver filigree balls. The design of the bracelet is contemporary and combines discreetly with a large range of styles.
Length 19 cm
Width 1.5 cm
Height 1 cm
Photo: ©Inigo Taylor
Adjustable ring
This sterling silver filigree ring has been handcrafted with a traditional design of an overlapping ring filled with long twisted pure silver wire.
Length 22 cm
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