Today, handmade items such as tableware and utensils are a rare luxury. But there are craftsmen trying to keep alive the art of creating metal objects by hand, also known as smithing. Ben Caldwell of Nashville, Tennesee, is an example of such an artist.
Using mostly copper and sterling silver, Ben produces beautiful, handmade flatware, ladles, coffee scoops, bowls, and wall hangings that have developed a devoted following. “There are times where you need a special gift,” says Ben, “and that’s when people come to me. I provide the special thing at that birthday, anniversary, or wedding. To be incorporated into people’s lives as the person who created this special present is just really cool.”
Ben got his start in metalsmithing in 1998 when his father, a noted collector of…
