'Smiffen in French'

I got to practice my v rusty French at a party on Saturday, with two very amenable people who actually can speak the language: I received an email from John who did some research for me on silversmithing in French :)
So, here it is:

'Smiffen in French'
'As I didn't know how you say silver smithing in French I thought I'd look it up.Well a silversmith or a goldsmith is un/une orfevre (grave accent on the first 'e'). Not a word I ever came across. Oh .. interesting figurative expression here .. 'M. X, qui est orfevre en la matiere, va nous éclairer' meaning ... 'Mr X, who's an expert in the subject, is going to enlighten us.'La orfeverie is either (1) 'the silversmith's trade' so 'Je fais de la orfeverie' I guess is what you say or (2) 'the silversmiths shop or workshop presumably or (3) 'silver plate'. Or substitute gold for any of the above.A blacksmith is either a maréchal-ferrant (one who shoes horses) or a forgeron (one who forges iron)'

Merci, John, et..... tres interessant, n'est pas?....;)
I like the sound of 'orfevre', and also the way the phrase 'marechal-ferrant' just trips off the tongue!


At the party I had managed to blurt out my Christian LaCroix/Paris story from a long time ago, which sounded to me like it was in perfectly good French, but then that was after a couple of glasses of Cava.....

I had gone to Paris with my friend, who had just graduated from Belfast Art College, to find an outlet for her jewellery. So we booked a flight to Paris to meet Christian La Croix - well, why not? We just turned up at his Salon unannounced one day (gorgeous Roman Atrium, complete with fountain) and left the work with his model-like receptionists for a couple of days - for him to think about it! We were about 22 at the time, full of hope and high expectations, but sadly we returned to the UK with all the jewellery.

I'm glad to say Janice is making even more amazing jewellery and richly textured wall hangings, much of it based on her travels in the East. You can see some of her stunning work at: http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Janice-Gilmore-Pageant-Jewellery-Lisburn-P11785


(Personally, I think Christian missed a great opportunity there!)