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Jim and his wife Donna arrived in New Hampshire as itinerant candle
makers in 1970.
At a craft show Jim met jeweler Del Schuler and Jim and Del became
friends. Del was a master with the jeweler's saw, crafting jewelry from
old coins by cutting out the designs on various coins of the world.
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Jim had collected coins as a kid and had used a jeweler's saw to make
a part for his motorcycle. He was intrigued, and Del offered to share
his craftsmanship knowledge of many years with Jim. The foundation of
Jim's career as jeweler was laid.
That was over 29 years ago.
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The portability and simplicity of the jeweler's tools
and the independence of being their own boss suited Jim and Donna's
lifestyle in rural New Hampshire quite well.
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They began to follow the craft show circuit that blossomed in the
1970s. Jim became a member of the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen. He
participated in the annual fair at Sunapee and sold his work through the
league's retail stores.
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During this time, Jim enhanced his artistic expression: He eliminated
the coin design and focused on doing his and Donna's own designs,
exclusively using flattened pre-1965 U.S. silver coins of various
denominations. |
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Presently, Donna and Jim live year round in
Grantham, NH, where you will find them at work in the studio or the garden
(visits by appointment, please contact us).
You can buy Stamper Jewelry online, request a catalog, or check out the
show schedule to see where you can meet Donna and Jim at a shows.
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