Annealing
The process by which a piece of metal is made malleable. Silver becomes work hardened through processes such as hammering, spinning and stamping. By heating it and then allowing it to cool, the metal becomes workable.
Applied decoration
A term for any decoration on a piece of silverware. The decoration can be made by stampings or castings made independently from the main body of the piece and then attached to it.
Assay
The compulsory process of testing the purity of metals – Sterling Silver is a minimum of 925 parts silver for every thousand. All silversmiths are required to register their marks and details with an Assay Office and submit all work for examination. If the pure silver content is as represented the work is officially stamped or hallmarked. If not, the item is confiscated and in most cases destroyed.
Britannia Standard
A silver standard of 958 parts per thousand introduced in England in 1697 to protect the new silver coinage which was being melted down by silversmiths for the silver. The sterling standard was restored in 1720. Britannia has only been denoted by the silver hallmark 958 since hallmarking changes introduced in 1999.
Buffing
The use of pumice stone ground to a fine powder combined with oil enable a beautiful finish on silverware. Completed before hand polishing to gain a higher shine on finished pieces.
Casting
A means of production by pouring silver (or other metals) into a mould through the lost wax casting method. A casting is often applied as a decoration, generally producing a heavy quality finish.
Chasing
The highly skilled art of hammering metal in order to produce either a relief or an indented pattern without incurring any metal loss and create a three dimensional design. The silver is chased using numerous punches and a hammer. Repoussé is the opposite where the smith works on the reverse of the metal to form a raised design on the front. Chasing is often then used to refine the design on the front by sinking the metal.
Electro-forming
Metal is electro-deposited into a mould and removed when sufficient thickness has been achieved to produce a solid, freestanding object, or onto a non-metal article to produce a filled model. This production method allows intricate items to be reproduced for a fraction of the cost of their handmade equivalents. Almost any object can be covered in this way – from seashells to shoes.
Engraving
Process in which silver is removed from the surface to create a design or inscription using a graving tool. Engraving is extremely versatile, lending itself to simple inscriptions or to grandiose decorations. Facsimile engraving replicates an individual’s handwriting and provides the ultimate personal touch.
Filled
Articles, notably candlesticks and knife handles that have a central cavity filled with plaster or other substances to give stability.
Finial
An adornment found, for instance, on top of a teapot lid or on the tail of a spoon. It is most often made in silver, wood or resin in todays society.
Fire
Elements of a silver piece are heated during various processes such as soldering or annealing. This results in a grey staining on the surface of the metal which is removed during the polishing process.
Flatware
The generic term for silver cutlery.
Gilding or gold plating
The electro-plating process is used to apply a thin layer of gold to a metal surface.
Hallmark
A system of marks impressed on silver or gold items by an Assay Office with the purpose of establishing its purity. In Britain, the hallmark consists of the assay mark (e.g. the lion passant for sterling silver) and other symbols denoting the place of assay, date, and maker. With its comprehensive records, the system helps the public to identify items and guard against forgeries. It is the world’s most stringent silver quality control.
Hand-forging
The technique of hammering hot metal over an anvil.
Holloware
Generic terms for items of household silver other than flatware.
Patina
The beautiful, deep blue/silver sheen that silver acquires with the passage of time caused by use and hand polishing. Numerous tiny, almost imperceptible, surface scratches give silver its colour and feel. This effect is lost with machine polishing.
Piercing
Describes how a design is cut through silver. The design is usually engraved on the object and a piercing saw is then used to cut out the design.
Plannishing
The process of hammering the external surface to produce an improved overall finish. Today the resulting effect is commonly known as a hammered finish.
Polishing
Completed on spindles by hand after the Buffing process. Various compounds are used in conjunction with polishing mops to achieve a high shine. By focusing on hand polishing rathe than machine polishing we ensure pattern definition is not lost.
Raising
Traditionally a vessel was raised by hammering silver sheet over an anvil. The hammer marks would be filed out to produce the best possible smooth surface.
Repoussé
repoussé is a hammering technique to work on the reverse of a metal to form a raised design on the front. Chasing is the opposite technique to repoussé, and the two are often used in conjunction to create a finished piece. Repoussé skills (also known as embossing) date from antiquity and have been used widely with gold and silver, copper, tin, and bronze for centuries. Among the most famous classical pieces using this technique are the bronze Greek armour plates from the 3rd century BC. See Chasing and Repoussé.
Silver plating
A method of coating a base metal object with silver by passing an electric current from a block of pure silver to the article through a solution of cyanide and silver salts.
Smithing
The making up of component parts to create a finished item, for instance, a body, foot, lid, handle and spout are hand assembled, filed, shaped and soldered together to make a tea pot.
Spinning
A method of producing circular shapes such as bowls, plates and cups from flat sheet. The sheet is held against a nylon or metal former and spun on a lathe where a tool is then used to press the silver up on to the former.
Spun wrap
To produce a thick or hollow rim, the edge of the silver is turned back on itself.
Stamping
Forming silver items such as plates and cutlery, using presses and dies.
Sterling silver
The standard alloy of 925 parts of pure silver to 75 parts copper, nickel and zinc. Pure silver is very soft, the added metals make the material a little harder and more workable.
Tarnish
The natural process of silver reacting with moisture and chemicals in the atmosphere.