Featured is a wonderful Antique Silver Salt Shaker.
- Silver plate means the object has been coated with a thin layer of silver. The term quadruple plate means the object has been coated four times.
- Often an object was embellished with designs using a variety of different techniques.
- Repousse is a technique where the metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief.
- Chasing is the opposite because the metal is worked from the front to refine the design by sinking the metal.
- Sometimes the design is engraved, this is when the metal is cut away with a sharp tool.
- Silver is alloyed with copper to create sterling silver, 7.5 % copper and 92.5 % silver. Sometimes silver pieces will be stamped 925 silver, then you know it is sterling silver.
- Pattern: chased sterling silver with flowers and leaves
- Design: ribs, flowers and leaves, beads
- A fine dark pockmarked surface was produced against which the hand-engraving stood out in bright relief. Today very few items are produced using these techniques
- Some of the United States foremost Silver Companies are Pairpoint, Meriden, Roger and Smith, Van Bergh, Simpson Hallmiller, Apollo and Homan Silver Companies.
