Understanding the different ways that silver objects are made will help Silver collectors to assess the value and authenticity of the items they are collecting. There are various techniques available to a silversmith to allow them to produce beautiful silver objects. They are as follows:
Raising Silver
This is the most expensive of all the shaping techniques and one which is very labour intensive. Raising silver is normally used when producing bowls, dishes, drinking vessels and other hollow wares. The silver is raised from a flat disk of silver which has been hammered or cast from a silver ingot. It is then cut to the right size and hammered into the desired shape, using a anvil and hammer.
However in the mid eighteenth century rolling mills made this process easier and the end result was a commercial production of sheet silver made in a standard gauge. The hammering of the silver into the shape required makes marks on the interior of the object, this is removed and smoothed by a special broad headed hammer to make the smooth finish call planishing. Some arts and Craft pieces keep the hammer marks and you end up with a hammered effect on the object, which gives them appeal of there own.
Working with Sheet Silver
Silversmiths generally worked with pieces of sheet silver when producing items such as beakers, tankards and larger objects such as wine coolers. The use of sheet silver greatly reduced the amount of time needed to produce these pieces, making them more affordable due to reduced time and cost incurred in production. The seam where the silver sheeting meets is normally soldered or welded together to form a watertight join. The more complex pieces of the object such as handles or feet and borders were normally made from casting the silver into shape. Items of silver made from sheet silver is normally lighter than pieces of silver made from casting the silver which makes it easier for identification.
Casting Silver
Silver objects which have intricate shapes and designs such as candlesticks, and components of large items such as handles, finials, spouts, legs, feet and borders cannot be made from pieces of sheet silver, so they are cast separately then attached to the main item. The silver is melted into a liquid and poured into a mould which has been made into the desired shape. The silver is then cooled and once the silver is solid it is removed from the mould and finished by hand polishing then attached to the required object.
Cast objects are normally heavier and more solid than there raised counterparts and the undersides or inside of the cast object is usually left quite rough from the mould. Another method of casting is to wax cast. This is where a wax model of the object being produced is made and then covered with clay or plaster to create a mould then the wax is melted and poured from the mould and replaced with liquid silver once the silver is cool and hardens the mould is broken away, this is normally only used for one off pieces due to the expense of destroying the mould.
Filigree Silver
Filigree silver is a highly decorative technique of twisting or plating fine silver wires into intricate patterns of geometric or foliate ornament and then you solder the wires together. Filigree decorations are normally produced as a separate piece of work and then applied unsupported as an openwork border or soldered onto a flat plate on things like boxes or buttons. You can also get filigree spoons especially caddy spoons. Filigree items are normally very delicate and quite small such as vinaigrettes, card cases and pill boxes as well as spoons.
However the art of filigree has also been used on larger items such as inkstands, candlesticks as caskets with much success. Filigree was popular throughout Europe in the 17th century and in Britain in the late 17th century and again in the 19th century during the revival period. Take care when buying filigree items as they are normally damaged due to their delicate nature, this will reduce the value of the object if the filigree is not perfect.
Stamping Silver
The technique of stamping silver was introduced into Britain in the late 18th century and still continues to be used to mass produce items such as bonbon dishes, dressing table sets, photograph frames and loaded candlesticks.
The method used for stamping silver is to get a thin sheet of silver and place it between two dies which are of the required shape and pattern. One of the dies has the pattern cut into it and the other die has the pattern marked out in relief form. Mechanical pressure is the placed on the dies forcing them together with the thin sheet of silver in between, when you open the dies again you will find the silver sheet has taken on the shape of the pattern on the dies.
You normally find unless the item is loaded such as candlesticks that Stamped silver items are very thin and flimsy. If you are buying Stamped silver care must be taken to check carefully for damage, as being made of thin silver this happens quite easy, you can also get holes in the silver quite easy, so you must use a jewellery loop(like a little magnifying glass) to check for damage as this will also affect the price.
I hope you now know all the different ways silver objects are produced and the more you see and handle nice silver items the more you will be able to identify how the item was made, so you can check it easier for damage.
Related posts:
- Collecting Silver Candlesticks – Up to the Georgian Period
- Care and Storage of you Silver Collection
- Collecting Silver Boxes Part I
- Collecting Silver Boxes Part II
- Collecting Silver Flatware – Part 1
- Collecting Silver Boxes Part III
- Collecting Silver Candlesticks – Georgian Silver Candlesticks to Today
