All About Antique Silver

Silver items are always relevant and do not go out of fashion over time, especially for vintage items and jewelry that keep a certain secret of the past. For connoisseurs of silver, antiques are of particular importance, because most often these are rare objects that have artistic and historical significance and are preserved from ancient times. Old silver is of great value not only for real collectors, but also for ordinary lovers of various jewelry. An important role in evaluating antique silver objects is played by the artistic taste, design and method of metal processing by the craftsman.

Pure silver refers to noble metals which are usually not capable of oxidation under the influence of oxygen. Nevertheless, on some silver products made of alloys, a faint plaque appears over time. This forms a natural patina, which does not thereby impair the appearance of the product, but, on the contrary, gives it a certain charm of antiquity.

Silver-coated patina is an integral process of aging and metal oxidation. The formation of patina on silver things gives them additional attractiveness and helps protect the metal from further corrosion.

It happens that on objects made of this precious metal specially applied artificial patina, so that it takes the form of antique silver.This process can be described as preserving silver for a longer shelf life. Silver jewelry with a patina can only be compared with a bride who is dressed in a wedding veil.

The main characteristic of antiques is subject age. It is the time of manufacture that is of great importance for attracting collectors and ordinary lovers. Antiques - These are profitable things for investing. At all times it was considered quite prestigious to have antique silver in the house. It indicated a high level of wealth of the owner and his excellent taste in valuables. Due to advanced age silverware is very much appreciated.

There are several more basic features of antiques. Antique silver must necessarily bear material value, as well as have artistic and historical significance. Antiques connoisseurs also look at stigmawhich is located on the surface of a silver product. It contains information about the place of production, the sample of metal and the name of the master. Antique silver is markedly different from modern jewelry unique style of execution, decor, brand and surface condition of the subject.

Only professionals can distinguish antique silver and high quality metal. One of the most noteworthy features is thermal conductivity silver. In the hand, the silver ring quickly heats up to body temperature. In addition, silver is by no means not magnet. This method allows you to quickly distinguish real silver from a product made of any other metal. The authenticity of silver can be determined using a drop of iodine, which must be dripped onto the surface of the product: if the metal turns black, then this is real silver.

Pure silver (sample 999) without the addition of any impurities is very elasticTherefore, to create a durable alloy, a small amount of other metals is added to it. This approach makes silver resistant and prevents it from breaking. Due to the fact that since the manufacture of silver objects the content of impurities was different, it was necessary to introduce definition of "sample".

Sample 800 indicates that an alloy weighing 1000 grams contains 800 grams of pure silver, and the rest is impurities. Such a test is used in the manufacture of cutlery and crockery. In the USSR for the manufacture of cutlery and candlesticks used sample 916but now it’s not applied anymore. Other obsolete silver samples are 84, 720 and 750.

An additional component of a silver alloy is usually copper. Its presence makes the product durable. Sample 800 contains too much copper, because of which the metal looks yellow, its field of application is the industrial field. Samples 830 and 875 also contain a lot of copper, so they are more suitable for creating dishes. Sample 925 represents sterling silver, which is actively used to create jewelry products. Sample 960 - This is high-quality silver, but it is too soft, so most often they make decor items for jewelry from it.

Silver is an excellent material to create cup holders. It can quickly absorb part of the heat, retain it for a long time and thereby maintain the temperature of the tea at the proper level for a long time. Also for this purpose were created and silver spoons. Real tea gourmets know a lot about tea drinking, they drink it from a glass in a silver cup holder, stirring the drink with a silver spoon.Thus, tea is able to reveal its best taste, because it remains hot for a long time, which makes the tea ceremony especially pleasant.

The history of silver cup holders is unique. This product appeared at the end of the 18th century. In the middle of the XIX century, the cup holder became very popular. From an ordinary thing, it becomes a work of art with various intricate drawings, exquisite ornaments and artistic carvings. Masters showed creative imagination and created whole masterpieces. In those days, all workshops that produce silver products, necessarily produced cup holders, decorated with patterns from the best masters in jewelry.

In the USSR, the most serious were the manufacture of silver cup holders. They always had a very interesting decoration, which made each of these items unique in its own way.

No less popular and sophisticated these days. cigarette cases made of silver. They first appeared in the XVII century. Wealthy people used them to demonstrate their well-being. Silver cigarette cases were decorated with precious stones and art painting. Today is still very popular. antique cigarette case by Carl Faberge. This exquisite item can be a wonderful gift for a person who deeply appreciates the long tradition and has a great taste. An antique cigarette case looks very elegant and is able to attract only the enthusiastic looks of others.

Antique hunters will not pass by and silver belts. The decoration of these things is quite diverse, which makes them unique in their kind, because each master has brought his own special highlight to the creation of a silver belt. As in the old days, these luxurious products will be able to demonstrate the dignity and excellent taste of their owner.

Great demand among antique collectors vintage candlesticks. The times and tastes of people have changed significantly, and most of the items just disappeared from our everyday life, but the candlesticks have not lost their relevance even now. These products, in addition to their main function of lighting the room, are able to create a special atmosphere of comfort.

For an overview of antique silverware, see the next video.