The Duckle Nusters

Created for the New Designers Exhibition's 40th Anniversary (2025). Combining ceramics, interior design and jewellery all in one piece!
I was thankfully in a position to showcase at the New Designers exhibition after graduating from my course. The exhibition was celebrating it's 40th anniversary and I wanted to honor this by creating a collection incorporating all of the different as
I noted that all three are slightly different and wanted to be as close to the original interpretation, but putting my own take on the final piece.
I use the pin and powder technique. I trace the detail from the template with a pin and then dust with talc powder to highlight the design underneath.
Keep carving the overall shape then move into the detailed areas.
I started with the largest duck and then looked to minimalise it over the course of the two other ducks. These two didn't come out right the first time I carved them, the wings look more bat-like, so I re-carved these again.
Whilst I was re-carving the medium and small duck, I also carved a matching small duck to use for cufflinks or possibly a necklace link. Here they are fresh back from the casting house.
Each of the ducks were semi-hollowed at the back to save on weight, here you can see the remainder of the sprue which is to be removed.
Here is a shot of a before and after cleaning of the castings.
All cleaned and polished master versions ready for moulds to be made allowing me to create a necklace, cufflinks and the one-and-only 'Duckle Nuster'.
It was only once I had put the three ducks on my hand that I had the idea of creating a 'knuckle duster' of sorts, but without the violence, so a 'Duckle Nuster' was born. A plan is underway!
Transferring the four finger sizes onto a slab of wax. Using the silver ducks as a placement guide to see where these need to be placed across the hand.
Holes cut and shaped ready for the different plateaus that the ducks will sit on.
Three different height differences will help add to the overall shape of the piece.
Ensuring there is a slight sweep to the four finger holes will ensure a comfortable wearable piece.
A note to the wearer; Duck Around Fly Out.
Transferred the wording in the same fashion as before.
Carved them in relief but level with the finger size. Casting should take up this slight difference in finger size.
Further styling and weight reduction to where the three ducks will sit. I wanted them all to be slightly diagonal so they looked like they were all taking off, just like the original!
It's all about the little 'easter eggs' and the devil is in the detail! I carved little clouds and a sun peaking out from behind one of them.
I also carved different clouds on each side.
The final piece was given a 'rain-like' texture which will work really well once oxidised and polished.
Fresh back from the casters.
A quick de-sprue and a clean up before I solder the ducks to the top.
This is a stunning shape just by itself!
Here's a refresher of the carved waxes before casting. The ruler gives a sense of scale of the piece.
...just like that! Fresh castings back from the casting house. The cloud detail and rain texture looks great and also all the super fine detail in the duck's feathers look amazing!
All soldered and dipped in Liver of Sulphur to oxidise, ready for a final polish. Here are the cufflinks I created called 'Bread or Dead'.
I love the look of the deep black oxidising and the contrasting chrome-like shine of the sterling silver.
Behold... the Duckle Nuster.
'The Duckle Nuster' - Roskell-Cheale Jewellery.