Fine Metalwork, Restoration & Sculpture

by Justus Brandt

Welcome to Curwendil — where traditional craftsmanship meets artistic vision.
Each piece is handcrafted with care, inspired by nature and the elvish pursuit of beauty.

A decorative outdoor wall lantern with a black metal frame and a glowing yellowish-orange glass globe, mounted on a black wall.
See the Portfolio
See the Portfolio
A person wearing glasses and a gray hoodie works on the wax model for a metal sculpture of a seated human figure in an indoor art studio.

I’m Justus Brandt, a master metal artisan and sculptor based in Germany.

With a background in both biology and traditional metalwork, I create finely crafted pieces that fuse technical skill with artistic intent.

Whether blacksmithing, copper chasing, casting, or working in other techniques — the joy of the manual process is the driving force behind my work.

read about my story

Curwendil on YouTube

I sometimes share my projects on YouTube, here are a few that you might like!

The Blocktopus

A video of my first in a series of octopus sculptures - from initial clay modeling over mold-making to the final cast.

Dwarvish Chest

An older project from before I professionally trained in metalwork, but I think it still holds up.

I made this chest specifically to house my Tolkien book collection!

Anime Amulet

I’m a big anime fan and one that is very dear to me is ‘Violet Evergarden’. The main character wears an iconic amulet which I set out to recreate.

Visit the channel for more of my videos!

What does “Curwendil” mean?

Allow me to nerd-out for a second here:

Curwendil is an Elvish name meaning something like “Lover of Crafts.” It’s derived from Tolkien’s early linguistic root KUR, meaning “skill” or “craft,” and the Sindarin suffix -ndil, which connotes “devoted to” or “lover of.” Together, the name expresses a deep and personal connection to craftsmanship.

Tolkien’s Elves – immortal, nature-bound beings from his legendarium – have long been a profound source of inspiration for me.

They weren’t just characters in a story, but builders and artists who saw it as their mission to make the world more beautiful. Their creations were meant to endure, blending elegance with lasting quality.

The widely adopted Elvish aesthetic as seen in Peter Jackson’s films - a combination of Art Nouveau fluidity and Gothic symmetry - is something I’ve always been drawn to stylistically and an ideal I strive towards.

I’ve spent some time in the past learning Sindarin, one of the Elvish languages Tolkien developed in rich detail. Therefore taking on an Elvish name felt like a natural step.

This connection – both stylistic and conceptual – is something I carry into my own practice.

“Curwendil isn’t just a name;
it’s a way of being for me.”

To reflect that, I designed my logo in Tengwar (the Elvish script), spelling Curwendil in the shape of a stylized anvil - the most recognizable tool of the blacksmith, and a symbol of creation itself.

Sketch of notebook scribbles that led to the logo, with the word 'Curwendil' written in Latin script at the top, the same word in Tengwar script in the middle, and various stylized designs resembling the logo's shape, ending with '[Final logo]' at the bottom.