Coppersmithing came to America with the settlers.  The now-traditional styles were developed over the years.  Our kettles are strong and durable and suited for constant use.  They are constructed of copper with silver and are food-safe.  The specialty pieces were adapted from pieces pictured in books printed in 1700's, 1800's and 1900's.  The coffee pot is from a 1700's book.  The wash boilers were made before the turn of the century.  The other pieces are based on commercially-made containers -- hand hammered and shaped.    As a small boy, Porter was interested in metal work and how things were made.  He tinkered in his father's shop, entertaining himself for hours.  He told his mother, one apple butter-making time, that someday he was going to make a copper kettle.  As Mothers are prone to do, she commented, "Brother, that's nice," and went on with what she was doing - probably peeling apples for her apple-butter.

 She did not live to see his first large kettle as she died at age 96 and he was over 50 when he made it.  He has had no formal training in the metal-working field - just trial and error, extensive reading about the process and an innate sense for the work.  Faye helps with the welding, turning the edges and engraving.  Her specialty is hammering and shaping the bowls.  They work together on the designs - sizes, proportions, styles, etc.  The pieces are food-safe, but food should not be left in the vessel when cooking is completed.  Tarnish can be removed with Wright's® Copper Cleaner.  Use ZUD® for badly tarnished pieces.Copper Vessels are made in the form of buckets, kettles, bowls, trays, etc.  They are fashioned from flat sheets of copper using flat seams of dovetailing, hammering, and welding with silver.  After cleaning, they are hand-polished.