SHELTON METAL

Thirteen Years & Thirteen Treasures

Thirteen Years & Thirteen Treasures

by Colby Byrd in Stories of Treasures

This year marks thirteen years of Shelton Metal.

When I started the company in 2013, I never could have imagined where the journey would lead. What began as a small metalsmithing practice inspired by the sea, collected objects, and traditional craftsmanship has grown into something much larger than I ever expected.

Along the way, there have been thousands of pieces created, countless stories shared, and treasures shipped to homes around the world.

To celebrate this milestone, I wanted to create something a little different.

Something that felt more like Shelton Metal- I brought back the Treasure Hunt!

Over the coming months, thirteen treasures will be hidden throughout Wilmington and beyond. Some clues will lead to physical locations, while others may be tucked away within the digital corners of the Shelton Metal website. Each clue unlocks a new adventure and each treasure has a new story waiting to be discovered.

The prizes range from jewelry and objects for the table to one-of-a-kind pieces pulled directly from the Shelton Metal archive.

At its heart, the hunt is less about finding a prize and more about embracing the spirit that has always inspired this work. Curiosity. Discovery. Exploration. The thrill of uncovering something unexpected.

After all, some of the best treasures are the ones you never knew you were searching for.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Shelton Metal over the last thirteen years. Whether you purchased a piece, shared a kind word, visited an exhibition, carried one of my treasures into your home, or simply followed along on the journey, I am deeply grateful.

Here's to thirteen years of collecting stories, creating treasures, and seeing where the tide takes us next.

The first treasure has already been claimed. Last week, Clue #1 led hunters to a small free library tucked away in downtown Wilmington, where the first hidden prize awaited discovery. Inside was one of my earliest and most recognizable designs, the Seafarers Skull Ring cast in sterling silver. Inspired by old sailor folklore, shipwrecks, and the romance of a life spent chasing the horizon, it felt like the perfect treasure to begin the hunt. Seeing someone follow the clues, uncover the hiding place, and carry home the first prize reminded me why I wanted to create this adventure in the first place. The treasure itself is only part of the story. The journey to find it is where the magic lives.

*Clue 2/Treasure 2 has been found! Sign up for our next Treasure Hunt

X, Colby 

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