Walker Metalsmiths Blog

What is a Shamrock?

What is a Shamrock?

March 12, 2024

The simplest answer to what is a shamrock is is actually not that simple. At its essence it is a three-leaved groundcover plant found in Ireland and across the globe. Are true shamrocks wood sorrel or common clover? The jury has been out since before St. Patrick first held up the shamrock as an example of the Holy Trinity.

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Former Bagpipe Busker willing to trade Celtic Jewelry for Photo

Former Bagpipe Busker willing to trade Celtic Jewelry for Photo

February 23, 2024

Thousands of photographs were taken. Help find at least one.

Were you a tourist in London, Dublin or Paris in 1975 – 1978? Did you see a street performer playing bagpipes? Did you take his picture? Was it Steve Walker? If you can share that picture with Walker Metalsmiths you could score some sweet Celtic jewelry.

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Learning the Art and Mystery of the Craft; Newest Jeweler Sydney Gallo Graduates Apprenticeship

Learning the Art and Mystery of the Craft; Newest Jeweler Sydney Gallo Graduates Apprenticeship

June 26, 2023

Sydney Gallo has completed her apprenticeship at Walker Metalsmiths and has graduated as a full-fledged jeweler. The timing of her graduation enabled her to have the opportunity to exhibit her thesis jewelry at the 2nd International Day of Celtic Art Conference in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in early June.

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John Urban passes the torch; Walker Metalsmiths acquire legacy jewelry designs

John Urban passes the torch; Walker Metalsmiths acquire legacy jewelry designs

May 20, 2022

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George Bain Hunting Rug at Walker Metalsmiths

George Bain Hunting Rug at Walker Metalsmiths

April 22, 2022 2 Comments

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Coherent Geometry; Carved Molds and Ancient Methods

Coherent Geometry; Carved Molds and Ancient Methods

March 30, 2022 1 Comment

The great masterpieces of Celtic metalwork that inspired me were done with even less than the basic tools I had in the 1970s.

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Celebrating the coming of Spring with the St. Brigid's Flower Cross

Celebrating the coming of Spring with the St. Brigid's Flower Cross

January 25, 2022

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Embracing Shamrockery

Embracing Shamrockery

March 10, 2021 1 Comment

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Celebrating St. Brigid's Day Traditions

Celebrating St. Brigid's Day Traditions

January 27, 2021

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Happy New Year’s Sounds Much Better Than Happy Day of the Buttered Bread

Happy New Year’s Sounds Much Better Than Happy Day of the Buttered Bread

December 28, 2020

It’s actually an old Celtic custom to celebrate the new year with a slice of a freshly buttered roll. There are several different interpretations on the direct translation, but New Year’s Day is commonly referred to as either La na gCeapairi.“The Day of Buttered Bread,” or “the day of the bread with butter upon it.”

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Many Christmas Traditions Can Be Traced Back to Celtic Roots

Many Christmas Traditions Can Be Traced Back to Celtic Roots

December 09, 2020 1 Comment

In many ways, the ways we celebrate Christmas in Andover, NY looks a lot different than how St. Patrick and his neighbors may have celebrated in the 4th century. However, there are still several Irish and American Christmas traditions rooted in Gaelic culture, like decorations, special customs, and cuisine that our family at Walker Metalsmith's celebrate during the season.

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The Celtic Influence on the Thanksgiving Holidays

The Celtic Influence on the Thanksgiving Holidays

November 25, 2020

Thanksgiving is an holiday favorite for the Walker Metalsmith's family. It’s a time for us to celebrate old traditions and make new memories with family and friends.

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New Custom Celtic Jewelry Pieces Just in Time for the Holidays

New Custom Celtic Jewelry Pieces Just in Time for the Holidays

November 13, 2020

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Celtic and Pictish Key Patterns; the other kind of Celtic design

Celtic and Pictish Key Patterns; the other kind of Celtic design

November 05, 2020 2 Comments

The Picts were a medieval society that inhabited northeast Scotland in the 3rd to 10th centuries. Their mysterious history has been difficult for scholars to understand due to a lack of surviving written records, but the Picts have left an enormous record carved in stone. The style of their monuments puts them firmly in the greater Celtic culture, showing artistic themes closely kin to the sculpture, metalwork, and manuscript art of the contemporary Irish.

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Handcrafted Celtic Jewelry Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift

Handcrafted Celtic Jewelry Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift

October 26, 2020 1 Comment

When you give someone you care about a present like a handcrafted Celtic jewelry piece; you’re combining a little bit of the old with the new. It’s a uniquely modern take on gift-giving that also honors the rich Celtic culture.

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The Celtic Origins of Halloween

The Celtic Origins of Halloween

October 14, 2020

Halloween might just be one of the most widely-celebrated holidays in the United States today, and you may not realize it, but Halloween actually has its roots in ancient Celtic tradition.

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Celebrate September with Walker Metalsmiths Simulated Sapphire Birthstone Celtic Jewelry

Celebrate September with Walker Metalsmiths Simulated Sapphire Birthstone Celtic Jewelry

September 25, 2020

Sapphires are a stone with a long history of meaning specifically surrounding regality, and many nations and people held this bright blue gem in high regard.

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Celebrate the Celtic Mabon (Autumn Equinox) Festival on Sept 21

Celebrate the Celtic Mabon (Autumn Equinox) Festival on Sept 21

September 16, 2020

The Celtic autumn equinox festival is on September 21st, marking the day when the sun is almost directly over the equator, creating an equal amount of day and night. In the Celtic tradition, this holiday goes by the name Mabon, after the name of the God of Welsh mythology

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The Walker Metalsmiths Showroom Now Open for Appointment Only Viewing

The Walker Metalsmiths Showroom Now Open for Appointment Only Viewing

August 24, 2020

We are pleased to announce that the Walker Metalsmiths showroom in Andover, New York is open for appointment-only viewing. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to come in and meet our family of jewelers and to view our hand-crafted Celtic jewelry in-person, in a safe, comfortable, and personal way.

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The Beginning of August Marks The Gaelic Harvest Festival of Lughnasadh

The Beginning of August Marks The Gaelic Harvest Festival of Lughnasadh

August 03, 2020

August 1st marks Lughnasadh. This festival signifies the ending of summer and the beginning of fall, a the start of the harvest season. And just as Lughnasadh has been celebrated for centuries, the symbols used in our handcrafted Celtic jewelry here at Walker Metalsmiths have also been part of Celtic history since ancient times.

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Walker Metalsmith's Celtic Caring Cross Pendants Honor Frontline Healthcare Professionals

Walker Metalsmith's Celtic Caring Cross Pendants Honor Frontline Healthcare Professionals

July 28, 2020

Here at Walker Metalsmiths, we use our time-honored craft to create custom Celtic jewelry, which is appropriate for a variety of occasions. That is why we were inspired to create our Caring Cross Celtic Pendants.

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Walker Metalsmith’s Celebrates July Birthdays with Our Simulated Ruby Birthstone Celtic Jewelry

Walker Metalsmith’s Celebrates July Birthdays with Our Simulated Ruby Birthstone Celtic Jewelry

July 23, 2020

July is known for bringing us warm summer days, but this month also brings us the ruby as a birthstone. Here at Walker Metalsmith’s, we are celebrating July birthdays with our original, hand-crafted simulated ruby birthstone Celtic jewelry.

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Celebrating “Bloomsday” in June with Our Caring Cross Celtic Jewelry Piece

Celebrating “Bloomsday” in June with Our Caring Cross Celtic Jewelry Piece

June 25, 2020 1 Comment

June is a time of rich Irish tradition in the streets of Dublin and around the world because the month brings us Bloomsday, a festive celebration of the Irish writer James Joyce.

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St. Columba's Day Honors the History of Celtic Art on June 9th

St. Columba's Day Honors the History of Celtic Art on June 9th

June 02, 2020

Walker Metalsmith's honors the beauty of Celtic arts that is celebrated on June 9th during the St. Columba Day festival with our own hand-crafted Celtic jewelry pieces and Celtic crosses

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