Grandfather's Story

For those of you who were not alive in 1882, allow me to paint a picture:
there was no electricity at home--hence, no radio or television
no computers, laptops, Ipods, CDs, DVDs, or MP3s. Extended families
lived in the same house (if the oldsters were still living). Albert
Einstein was three years old; Czar Alexander III reigned in Russia;
the IRS did not exist! Charles Darwin passed away, and James
Joyce was born. Life expectancy was 49 (fourty-nine) years. Young
families were typically large, as children often died young. Penicillin
had not yet been discovered. A simple illness, as we might know it
today, was often fatal back then. Automobiles were not readily
available (1886 saw the first four wheeled automobile). Children of
age 8 (eight) were expected to go to work in factories to assist
the family's low income during this depressed time. Education beyond
sixth grade was not an option for most. After sixth grade, many
of these young children began their working careers as child labor
in factories. A fifty hour week could earn them $2.50 (yes, two
dollars and fifty cents).

 My grandfather, James, was born in 1882 of immigrant parents.
He was one of seven children. James' dad worked in the roundhouse
at the local railroad yards in upper NY state. In the course of youthful
play, James broke a bone in his upper arm and in the shoulder joint.
The bones were not properly set; and, effectively, he had very limited
use of his right arm for the rest of his life. Being unable to contribute
 even the meager child labor earnings to the family income, James
found another path and was allowed to remain in school.

He graduated from high school in 1900 (very few finished high
school in this era, and education beyond that was even more a rarity).
Approaching adulthood, James found employment opportunities very
limited because of his physical restrictions; so he continued his
education. For four years, he attended the local "normal school"
(today's equivalent of a teacher's college); and, there, he
attained a teaching degree.

 Next, in 1904, James headed west, by train, to begin his first
teaching year at Ballard, Washington (which is part of the Seattle
area). With visions of studying at MIT, James headed back east
and continued to teach wherever the jobs were and saved money
to spend on his own education. He spent his summers taking classes
at Cornell University, working on required courses to gain
acceptance at MIT. In April, 1909, an appreciative evening
class from a technical high school (where he taught drafting
and shop practice) presented him with a special gold watch
and fob, engraved and dated on the back.

 Against all odds and during a time period when most people never
attended school past the sixth grade, James went on to graduate
in 1910, from one of the most prestigious technical institutes in the
world (then and today): MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

He married in 1913, and that union bore three children: James, Mary,
and Richard. He also authored two math books (the purpose of the 
books was to upgrade the quality of the trade school curriculum in
vocational school, which. in those days, did not award a high school
diploma. Later, when WWII began and factories reopened after
the Great Depression, these books were used extensively for
training and upgrading workers. Our family received small
royalties for many years from these books).

 James was president of a small factory operation through
much of the 1920's, and also presided as a principal of a
boy's vocational high school for eleven years. He died of
cancer at the age of 56 when my dad was just 19 years old.
Richard (my dad) still remembers a conversation he had
with grandfather shortly before he passed away.
Grandfather had not attended his own college graduation 
because the graduates were required to wear a suit at
the ceremony. Those had been depressed times, and he
had never been able to afford the cost of a suit. Since
education and its rites of passage were so important in
James' lifetime, Grandfather adamantly told his son Richard
 to make certain he attended his graduation when that
milestone was reached. That admonition also meant to Richard,
"stay in school to reach that graduation milestone".

Grandfather's watch and fob was kept in the family.
Daughter Mary kept this gold memento in her possession
until 2003 when she presented it to me, her niece and
godchild. Mary's intentions were twofold: to pass on
a very prized possession from that Grandfather I had
never met, and to assist the launching of my heartfelt
dream of establishing a jewelry design company. Initially,
and quite unbeknown to me, this watch fob's face was and is
the magnificent horse.

 As life, indeed, does come full circle, please celebrate with
me my Grandfather James' passion for finding other paths
when the obvious path wasn't working. His students must have
loved him well to award to him from their own poor pockets,
in those depressed times, a gold ornament such as this. The
fact this personalized piece still exists in our family is astounding
 to me. The connection I feel is awe-inspiring.

 Through Tempi Design Studio, I will present this
stunning piece in many variations and mediums to portay
its full beauty. Please explore this site further to
experience something old but remarkable, renewed
again. I am certain you will revel in the dramatic art work
derived from Grandfather's piece and begin to imagine
some of the emotion he felt when this watch fob was
presented to him on April 12, 1909. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are honored to present to you Art History revived!!! .... The famous
Pharaoh's Horses painting by John Frederick Herring [1885] relief
on a medallion in various shapes and sizes; created here at
Tempi Design Studio, and available at select locations.

Please check page one (1) of this site for a location near you,
and click the link for that web page.

We also have  certain pieces available direct from our
NEW Tempi Design Studio E-Catalog.  Just inquire!

Download from our site to browse.

 All our pieces are hand finished, in the USA.

Below are some of the pieces available.
We work in Sterling Silver, Ancient Casting Bronze,
yellow alloy called 'Golde', and 14k Gold.

Leather Lariat choices of Black or  Brown.

Silk Cords are available as options, colors for Medium Pendant,
Black or Brown for Large Pendants.

Leather Lariat Necklaces are 16" or 18.

 Bracelets are 7.25 " or 8", OR your custom length.

Earrings have surgical steel posts, .5" round or offset square
 or 9mm sterling hoops with drops.

.75 " round pierce AND .75" CLIP or 1" round CLIP

 Medallion Pendants are 1" Round, 1.25" offset Square, 7/8" offset square, or .75" Round, all cast as 1 piece.
 

 Specialized Bead work makes a stunning accent to the Medallions.
             Some photos are below.

             Need a color not mentioned?...just inquire!

Large Rounds on Woven Leather  Lariats            Large Squares on woven Silk Cords/or Lariats

 The very same molds, each finishes like fine gold.
Bronze is very close to Rose Gold, our yellow alloy,
'Golde' appears as 10k gold.

   Medium Rounds on color silk cords            Medium Squares, choose silk cords or lariats                       

 Small Round Stud Earrings, 1/2 inch                Small Square Stud Earrings, 1/2 inch

            Hoops with round drops                     Hoops with square drops

                                                  

 Stock Tie Pins, 7/8 beaded edge on 2 inch bar    Stock Tie Pins, 7/8 Square on 2 inch bar
 Pharaoh's Horses beaded Edge Series                 Pharaoh's Horses Square Series

                                                    

Leather Lariat Bracelet with  Charms    Sterling Wire Cuff with Charm                   

Large Round beaded Edge Pin/Enhancer      Large Square Pin with set stone                    

 Dress  up our Medallions with our specialized Bead work!!  Birthstone beads available, just inquire!!

 Key Fobs, 1 inch Rounds                      Double Ended Cuff Links/ any alloy

 Key Fobs and Cuff Links  also  available in our Fox Series 

We promise, more pieces have been added !!! FOX Series, Dressage Series
and Hunter/ Jumper Series  ARE HERE!!!!  Special breeds ( Friesian, Arabians, etc)
 and our companion dogs are  here  and new designs are what we do all year long!

 Please email us and we can tell you of a location nearby where you can view selections of this line.

All our work is hand finished in the USA.

                                


                  You don't have to love horses to love Tempi !

      We create Treasures in Birds, Dogs, Wildlife, Nature and more.

Custom Work Available, just inquire!