Companions of the Ancients

Our "Companions of the Ancients" collection, carved stones and castings, came from a love of our furry friends. 

 

Celtic Corgis by Susan Jacob

Of course, it started with the corgis, as most things we do. Our first design was a Celtic Pembroke Welsh Corgi. We've owned Pembrokes for over 30 years and wanted to create a design inspired by the legendary Book of Kells. Then the Cardigan people said, "What gives?!? Make us some!" So, then came our Celtic Cardigan Welsh Corgi, with careful critiquing for our Cardigan friends to make sure the differences between the Pembroke and Cardigan were clear. In creating the original Celtic corgi, there were several drafts of Celtic knots and corgis. I brushed up one of those and got it ready for the most intricate carving we've ever attempted. Of course, the original design is available as a carving too. So, Celtic corgis are available in three different Celtic designs. The Pembroke version comes in two different sizes - a one inch and two inch size. The one inch Pembroke comes in both a left-facing and right-facing direction (when worn), making them great for earrings or symmetrical design. The two inch Pembroke only comes in left-facing. The Cardigan corgi is 1 1/3 inches wide and comes in both a left-facing and right-facing direction.

 

Egyptian Cartouches by Linda Jacob

We expanded the collection to Egyptian revival after going to see the Tut exhibit in NYC and a desire to design for everyone's companion animals in a style that has lasted for millennia. It includes dogs, horses, and cats as royalty. Putting the Egyptian words for "Cat," "Dog," and "Horse" in a cartouche denotes royalty. Literally translated from Ancient Egyptian, these cartouches mean "Dog's Rule," "Horse's Rule," and "Cat's Rule." Since these furry critters rule both our hearts and our morning routines, this seems like the perfect way to express our relationship with them.