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JAMES HOWELL
A MODERN DAY FLINTKNAPPER
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COPYRIGHT JUNE 30, 2007 PETER A. BOSTROM
James Howell & some of his glass points.
FLINTKNAPPER JAMES HOWELL
AND SOME OF HIS POINTS

Abstract image of James Howell's glass points.

ABSTRACT
FLINTKNAPPER JAMES HOWELL

   This article illustrates and describes a few examples of James Howell's very colorful glass points. James is recognized by many in the flintknapping community and collectors of modern lithic art for his work with highly colorful art glass. Although he does work with stone, his specialty is melting together different types of colorful glass into rectangular "blanks" that he knaps into very colorful points.

     "Like Damascus steel, mixing or folding together the metal, he (James Howell) is making and controlling the pattern of the material (glass) before he flakes it."---------2007, by D.C. Waldorf, senior editor of "Chips, The Flintknapper's Publication," (personal communication).

     "He (James Howell) makes the best glass blanks for knapping in the world."---------2007, Dane Martin, co-editor of  "Chips, The Flintknapper's Publication," (personal communication).

     "Glass is largely made from quartz sand----you can consider it a manmade silicious rock."---------1994, John C. Whittaker, "Flintknapping, Making and Understanding Stone Tools," p. 67.


JAMES HOWELL
FLINTKNAPPER

   Many artists develop their own special niche or technique that's easy to recognize. James Howell's glass points are unique in that way. He's developed his own style of blending together different types of art glass that produces a circus of colors. His finished points are greatly enhanced by his ability to control the material he flakes.

12 examples of James Howel's glass points.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
GLASS POINTS
MADE BY JAMES HOWELL
 PRIVATE COLLECTION

    These twelve glass points show a good cross section of James Howell's "art points." Several different types of glass are represented. The different materials were mixed together in different patterns then flaked into nicely shaped points. At least six of the points, including the three on the top row left side,  are made from dichroic glass that has a metal oxide coating. The point at the left side bottom row is made from different pieces of fiber optic glass that was melted together. The copper colored point in the bottom row is made from chunks of copper gold stone glass, from China, that was melted together. The other points are made from various colors of Venetian glass, in the form of rods and plates that were melted together. The purple point in the bottom row is the longest. It measures 2 13/16 inches (7.1 cm)

     James Howell uses several different kinds of glass to form his blanks from which he knaps his points. He uses Venetian millefiori glass beads, Venitian glass rods, copper gold stone, dichroic glass, fiber optic and any other type of glass that offers a good effect or color.

Dichroic glass point by James Howell.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGE TRIPLE IMAGE
GLASS POINT
MADE BY JAMES HOWELL
 PRIVATE COLLECTION

   This point has a unique pattern. It's made from a translucent piece of dichroic glass. It changes color as it's rotated in the light from an iridescent pearl sheen to clear. It measures 1 1/4 inches (3.2 cm) long.

     Man-made glass is the easiest material to flake. It's made from quartz sand and because of its purity and rapid cooling it has no crystalline structure. Many knappers got started making their points with glass.

Miniature Gilson opal points by James Howell.
 MINIATURE GILSON OPAL POINTS
MADE BY JAMES HOWELL
 PRIVATE COLLECTION

    These tiny points were made by James Howell. They represent two nice examples of his miniature points, but he has made them even smaller. These points are made from Gilson Opal. The material is named after Pierre Gilson who created the process for laboratory grown opal. Gilson opal is 100% opal with no plastics. It takes about 3 years for the growing process. Chemically it is identical to natural opal, except it has no entrapped water which natural opal contains. The smallest point in this picture measures 1/2 inch (6 mm) long.

    Most flintknapping is done with natural stone that the craftsman selects for quality and color. Glass is the only flintknapping material that can be manipulated to form any pattern or color. D.C. Waldorf commented that, "Like Damascus steel, mixing or folding together the metal, he (James Howell) is making and controlling the pattern of the material (glass) before he flakes it." So the material itself is a product of the artist which greatly enhances the finished point.
CONTINUE ON TO PAGE TWO

"REFERENCES"

1994, Whittaker, John C., "Flintknapping, Making and Understanding Stone Tools," p. 67.
2007, Personal communications with Russ Franks.
2007, Personal communications with Dane Martin, co-editor of "Chips, The Flintknapper's Publication."
2007, Personal communications with D.C. Waldorf, senior editor of "Chips, The Flintknapper's Publication."

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