Mickaël Gaudin coppersmith at Atelier du Cuivre

Based in Villedieu-les-Poêles, the Atelier du Cuivre shines with its national, European and international reputation in the field of copperware. Founded in 1850 in the heart of the city of copper, the workshop is one of the oldest institutions still in operation. Its craftsmen perpetuate this ancestral know-how by working copper using gestures, techniques and tools handed down from generation to generation. Their expertise ranges from kitchen utensils to custom-made works of art and design. Today, we visit Mickaël Gaudin, coppersmith at Atelier du Cuivre.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your background and training?

My name is Mickaël Gaudin and I’m 30 years old. I started my working life as a farrier at the age of 15. Then I trained as a metalworker. I entered the boiler-making business at the Atelier du Cuivre when I was 17, and I’ve been here ever since. Initially, I was trained in coppersmithing, then in manual spinning, and over time I perfected my skills in coppersmithing spinning, and have been able to work in all areas, from tinning to polishing…

What does your job at Atelier du Cuivre involve?

I’m a repousseur and a coppersmith, as well as a workshop manager. Thanks to my long experience at l’Atelier du Cuivre, I now have a keen eye for the quality of our work.

What specific techniques do you use?

Embossing consists of turning a disc on a lathe into a cylindrical or conical shape. We also use the coppersmithing method, with parts that can be welded or seamless, depending on the order. Then there’s polishing, to give the part a brilliant shine. I also do tinning to renovate or make new utensils. Tinning is used to make the utensil food-safe, i.e. a small molecule of tin is added to the inside so that food does not come into direct contact with the copper.

Through

copper shaping, I pass on the tradition and passion for metal to the public.

Mickaël Gaudin

What are the most emblematic creations you’ve made?

One of the largest pieces I made was a pewter table for a client in Beirut, Lebanon, which was just over 12 meters long. After that, I also participated in the creation of a two-meter copper basin and a chiselled Paschal candle for the parish of Sainte Jeanne de Chantal in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. I also made still parts and a large copper dustbin for the Parc Astérix.

What do you like about your job?

I’ve always enjoyed working with a material that appears visually solid and dense, and using the appropriate tools to give it the desired shape. It’s satisfying to work with copper, which is a noble metal with flamboyant reflections.