來自英國的服飾品牌Tender Co.，儘管向來不乏支持者，卻從來不是一個大品牌，也沒有過想坐大的野心。自2009年創立以來，主理人William Kroll只專注做自己感興趣的設計，從早年專心一致製作丹寧服飾，後來逐步延伸，包括像是陶藝、木工、鑄鐵和種植等領域，都可以收歸在品牌的開發名單上。而看似無定向的商品開發，其實都來自主理人的玩心所致，就像Tender Co.這品牌的定位一樣，重現出古早的傳統工藝，卻也不會畫地自限，才能帶來各種精緻又充滿趣味的商品設計。
這隻魚形哨子是Tender Co.的新出品，採用失蠟法這門古老鑄造法製作而成。一般鑄造法，通常都採用模具組合，然而用於製作青銅和金屬品的失蠟法，製作起來要複雜得多，先要用蠟料雕出精細的型殼，並澆上粘土的澄洗物，待乾後再覆蓋上泥漿，如此步驟反覆多次，使型殼加厚變硬後，再用火燒使蠟料溶解，令型殼呈中空後再猛燒一輪。最後注入金屬液體，待成型後敲碎型殼，即成一個由失蠟法製作的金屬品。這隻魚形哨子，其形象最早來自瑪雅文明時代，如今再用上失蠟法鑄造再現，儘管事實上是新品，卻充滿歷史的份量感，讓人欽佩品牌主理人對老物、老工藝的知識和鑑賞力。
British clothing brand Tender Co. is a small niche label with a loyal following throughout the years. Created in 2009, founder William Kroll has focused only on the designs that interest him. He started off with denim garments and eventually expanded into pottery, woodwork, iron casting, and botanicals. Because of the founder’s enterprising nature, the brand does not confine to a particular positioning, they use classic crafting methods to produce various dainty and playful new products.
This fish shaped whistle is the newest creation by Tender Co. is a lost wax cast – an old method of casting. Ordinary casting usually uses moulds, yet lost wax cast used for bronze and various metals is much more complex. To begin, details are carved into a modeling wax into a mould, into which wax is poured, the waxes are then packed in plaster. This step is repeated several times. After the shell is hardened, the mould is heated to melt the wax away. Lastly, molten brass is poured in and hardened inside the plaster, the plaster is then broken away. The shape of this fish whistle comes from Mayan civilization, together with lost wax casting, this new product is given a historical story. This is a true depiction of the founder’s tasteful dedication to antiques, and craftsmanship.
