Oppi Untracht

Oppi A. J. Untracht (November 17, 1922 – July 5, 2008) was an American master metalsmith,^[1] educator, and writer.

Biography

Born in New York City, Untracht obtained his Master of Fine Arts at Columbia University in 1947. Originally trained as a photographer,^[2] he studied Indian arts and crafts and later became an expert on the jewelry of India^[3] and Nepal. In addition to being an honorary member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, in 2000 Untracht was awarded a Lifetime American Achievement Award on behalf of the American Craft Council.^[4] His first book, Metal Techniques for Craftsmen is considered a standard training textbook for silversmiths.

Untracht married Finnish designer Saara Hopea, and moved permanently to Finland in 1967. Untracht died in Porvoo in 2008.^[5]

Bibliography

• Metal Techniques for Craftsmen (1968). ISBN 0-7091-0723-4
• Jewelry Concepts and Technology^[1] (1982). ISBN 0-385-04185-3
• Saara Hopea Untracht: Elämä ja työ — Life and Work (1988). ISBN 951-0-14377-4
• Traditional Jewelry of India (1997). ISBN 0-500-28749-X

References