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By Sérgio Carvalho, Ra-Ro co-founder · Authors
About 3 min read
In Loulé, at the heart of the Algarve, a young man named Nuno Palma decided not to let an old craft die. Hammered copper, once common in the region's workshops, had almost vanished. Nuno took it up again and gave it new life, proof in every plate that metal can be reborn in the right hands.
What makes a hammered copper plate special?
The answer lies in the gesture. Each plate is born from a copper sheet worked entirely by hand, with no industrial moulds and no mechanical repetition. The relief you feel on the surface is the record of hundreds of hammer blows, each one slightly different from the last. That is why no two plates are alike: every piece holds the memory of the time and care given to it.
How does a sheet become a plate?
The process follows precise steps, inherited from a tradition that Nuno rescued. First he cuts the copper sheet to size. Then he softens the metal over fire, making it pliable enough to yield. With the copper hot and malleable, he shapes the form and hardens it by hammer, a task that demands steady strength and rhythm. Only then does the finishing begin.
- Cutting: the sheet is measured and cut according to the intended piece.
- Softening: fire makes the copper flexible so it can be shaped.
- Shaping and hardening: the hammer gives form and firmness at the same time.
- Scouring with sand: the surface is cleaned and prepared for the shine.
- Final polishing: the last gesture reveals the warm tone of the copper.
Why are fire and sand essential?
Fire and sand are not merely technical steps, they are what give the piece its soul. Heat opens the metal, making it possible to bend without breaking, and then the hammer restores its rigidity. The sand scouring, done by hand, removes impurities and prepares the surface for polishing. It is in this balance between heat, force and patience that copper turns from raw material into a finished object.
Is it for use or for admiring?
Both. Each plate can serve a practical purpose, present at the table or in the kitchen, or take on a decorative role, gracing a wall or a sideboard. Copper ages well and gains character over time, which makes these pieces lasting companions rather than passing objects. The choice between use and ornament rests with whoever receives it.
Why does this rescue matter?
When a young person chooses to learn an old technique, they are not only making objects: they are keeping a skill from disappearing. Nuno Palma's work keeps alive a part of the artisanal identity of Loulé and the Algarve. Each plate that leaves his hands is a small act of resistance against forgetting, and a promise that these techniques can keep passing from one generation to the next.
Discover the story and the texture of this handmade piece and take home a little of the fire and patience of Loulé: see the Hammered Copper Plate.
