That noise you can hear is the penny dropping....

It has just come to my attention that the man who I thought was spoon-carver Martin Damen, is not Martin Damen at all, but Martin Hazell.

This is of course Martin Damen

 

Spoon and bowl carver from Banbury (where I was born, incidentally) and here some of his lovely wares

 

 

and this is Martin Hazell (recognisable by his trademark Viking sandals)

 

and this some of his very lovely spoons

 

 

 

Since Marttin Hazell lives a semi ascetic life he doesn't have much of an online presence so I couldn't actually find many pictures of his spoons, which is a shame as they are brilliant.

 

So how did I manage to get these two mixed up? Well, they are both greenwood carvers, and both called Martin. The clincher is that I first met Martin Hazell at Spoonfest #1 where he did a presentation about St Peter Damian (Damian easily mistaken for Damen), who he was promoting as the patron saint od spoon-carvers, and it was there that the seed of confusion was sewn.

 

Suffice it to say I have seen spoons carved by both of these Martins and they are equally very skilful and professional. The Martin that I met at The National Forest Wood Fair - Beacon Hill Country Park, Leicester that I blogged about previously was in fact Marti Hazell, nor Martin Damen as stated, and I have to say, if you get the chance to see his spoons, especially the tiny burl ladles that he sells on a thong as a necklace (which I wish I'd bought when I had the chance), you will love them.

 

I hope that clears it up some.