The tinsmith with golden hands
- José’s objects demonstrate his incredible dexterity
- Each metal piece is made entirely by hand
- His work has been sought after by renowned international designers
José Vieira is quite remarkable when it comes to shaping galvanised tin, copper and brass. In his 50s, he runs his inherited tinsmithing workshop near the charming city of Guimarães. “I learned the craft by intensely observing my grandfather and father,” he says. At the time, there were other tinsmiths making rural objects like watering cans and funnels, but the Vieira family pieces were known for their quality, each distinguished with the letter V. Today, José is one of the few tinsmiths left in Portugal. In 2019, German designer Christian Haas asked him to make a set of side tables by folding and overlapping thin sheets of brass. The Pleat collection successfully shifted tinsmithing into a new context and was part of the Doppia Firma 2019 selection shown in Milan and Paris.
Discover his work
INTERVIEW
All steps are important, like the drawing of the matrix or cutting the material, but without a doubt soldering is the trickiest part. The process of joining all the pieces together requires quite some expertise to reach a pleasing final result.
I still make functional objects for rural use like my family did. But my desire for creative freedom has led me to also create more abstract pieces inspired by religious motifs and artworks. This decorative approach has led to unexpected encounters.
Christian and his team were extremely nice. The project was so different from my daily work. It was interesting to see the abstract idea on paper materialise in front of us. We overcame structural problems by working tirelessly until we were pleased with the polished brass tables.
I worry. It’s hard to find young apprentices willing to learn. Without passion you will never go far. Hopefully my collaboration with designers can shine a new light on tinsmithing and motivate younger generations to keep this traditional craft alive.
