WE Smile Magazine October 2015

The fi ne arts of Thailand are known
for rivaling any nation in the world.
However, as time passes many
of these exquisite techniques are
forgotten. The One Handicraft was
created to highlight these special
objects, and preserve them for future
generations.
The One Handicraft was founded
by the Seubsaipetch family, which
today is under the care of the family’s
second generation, Khun Kanrutai
Seubsaipetch. The products include
souvenir gift boxes that hold small
treasures, bookmarks, envelopes, and
business card holders adorned with
colourful enamel. Ten years before
starting his own venture, Kanrutai’s
father—who founded the business—
worked as a silver enamel jewelry
artisan. When making his fi rst gift shop
items, he chose bronze instead of
silver, as bronze had properties more
suitable for hot enamel work.
Originally, enamel was only allowed
to be used as decoration on royal
items. The Royal Institute of Thailand’s
encyclopedia states that the art of
using coloured enamel, especially
the Rajavadee style can be traced
back to the central Ayutthaya period.
It is believed that Persian traders
introduced the technique to Thailand.
Later in the early Rattanakosin period,
the Rajavadee Enamel style became
prevalent due to endorsements from
King Rama I. The fi rst step in making
enamel work is tracing and etching
the piece with acid. Then, enamel is
created by crushing coloured glass
into a fi ne powder. The powder is
mixed with water and dropped onto
the item’s surface in patterns. Low
heat is used to allow the solution to
stick to the object. Finally, a stone is
used to scrub the piece until the entire
surface is smooth. Due to the use of
heat, this process is called ‘long yaa
raon’ or ‘hot enamel’. Hot enamel has
the benefi t of durability and bright,
non-fading colours.
Enamel art requires unique skills
and knowledge which are usually
passed on from one generation to
the next before outsiders are let in
on the secrets. In addition, it’s a job
that requires true dedication and
patience, especially when it comes
to dropping the enamel carefully
into small detailed areas. Because
of these reasons, enamel art is on
the verge of being lost to time. This
is why adorning modern items with
enamel is important. Enriching the
pieces by plating them with 100%
gold is another way to increase value
and preserve interest. Although these
objects may be priced higher than
typical souvenirs, they are worth the
cost considering the work that goes
into making each piece. Every enamel
item must pass at least six artisans
who specialise in different production
stages. This includes an etcher, a
layout artisan, an enamel artisan,
polisher, gold plater, and metalsmith.
ART
Today, aside from providing their
items to souvenir stores around
the world, The One Handicraft also
sells items on their facebook page.
“Sometimes no matter how beautiful
the pieces are, art can still be lost if
there are no purchasers. However, I
believe that today there are still people
out there who appreciate this work
and know its value,” says Kanrutai.
If you were to really analyse these
pieces, there is nothing more sensible
than enamel art. What else could be
a better representation of memory
than something built to endure
the test of time? (facebook.com/
TheOneHandicraft)