ALLOY

A metal resulting from the mixture of two or more metals.

APPLIED BORDER

A cast or rolled wire border or edge soldered on an article.

ASSAYING

The process of determining the fineness/or the constituents of a metal or alloy.

BRIGHT FINISH

The finish that imparts to Sterling ware a highly polished, mirror-like surface.

BUTLER FINISH

The care of silverware was one of the duties assigned to the English Butler. In the course of years of hand rubbing, the silverware took on a distinct lustre which to-day in modern Sterling w are is simulated by a process of manufacture known as "Butler Finish." This finish is sometimes called Grey Finish or French Grey Finish. Each may show a varying shade of soft finish, but both fall under the general category of butler finish as here described. The finish on Sterling ware is produced by buffing, or polishing the article with different kinds of abrasives The various terms applied to soft finish are more particularly a trade convenience to indicate the abrasive used rather than to describe standard shades or tones.

CAST  BORDER

An applied border made of cast silver.

CASTING

The process of pouring molten metal into molds and so re­producing the models from which the molds were made. These reproductions are called castings.           

CHASING

Decoration done by hand with small tools and punches forced into the metal with tappings by a hammer. When flowers, scrolls, etc., are simply impressed into flat surfaces it is called Flat Chasing. When the ornamentation is brought up in high relief by driving out the metal from the inside and then modelled back into detailed form it is called Repoussé Chasing.

COIN SILVER

Silver assaying 900 parts pure silver to every 1000 parts.  U. S. coins are made of this quality which it will be noted is 25 points lower than the Sterling standard.

CUTLERY

Knives with a cutting edge, (e.g., dinner, dessert, carving knives.)

DESSERT KNIVES

The trade name for knives which correspond in size to the Dessert Fork. A better term would perhaps be "small dinner" or "luncheon" size.

DIE CUTTING

OR SINKING

The process by which a design or pattern is cut out of a piece of steel to form a "die" from which a quantity of similar articles can be stamped out or impressed.

DINNER WARE

The general term applied to dishes, plates, bowls, pitchers, salt shakers, candlesticks, tea sets and other hollow articles, as distinguished from knives, forks, spoons, toiletware, etc. (See Hollow Ware.)

DUTCH SILVER

Silverware imported from Holland. Generally very decora­tive and cast of silver metal very much lower than the Sterling Standard.

ELECTRO-PLATING

This process was introduced about the year 1842 and is used in making silver plated wares. By this process a layer of silver is electrically deposited on a base metal. (See Silver Plate.)

EMBOSSING

The process of decorating by striking or impressing the metal into a die with force.

ENGINE TURNING

The process of decorating through means of a cutting tool controlled by a craftsman following the design which is ap­plied to the silver from a master pattern or stencil. This type of decoration, generally speaking, is confined to toiletware and novelties.

ENGRAVING

A process of A process of hand decoration produced by cutting into the surface of the metal with engraving tools.

ETCHING

A process of decoration produced by what might be properly called "chemical engraving." The silver is covered with a pro­tecting coating through which the desired design is cut and the design is eaten into the silver by nitric acid.

FINE SILVER

The Element Silver -- Pure Silver -- 1000 Fine.

FINISHING

The general term applied to the various processes of polishing silver.

FLAT CHASING

See Chasing.

FLATWARE

OR FLAT SILVER

The trade name for Knives, Forks, Spoons, etc.

GERMAN SILVER

A term used some years ago as interchangeable with Nickel Silver. See Nickel Silver.

GILDING

The process of Electro-plating a layer of pure gold on another metal.

H. H.

Means Hollow Handle. Cutlery and many fancy pieces are made by attaching a Sterling handle to the blade, tines, etc. These handles are made of two hollow halves and soldered together.

HALL MARK

The official mark of the Goldsmith's Company or other assay office or "Hall" in England, stamped on articles of gold or silver to indicate their purity. In America the Hall Mark is the word "Sterling" accompanied by the name or mark of a reputable manufacturer.

HAMMERED SILVER

A form of decoration resulting from repeated taps on the sur­face of the metal with a light hammer.

HAND WROUGHT SILVER

An article shaped and decorated from a flat piece of silver by a craftsman using only hand tools and such other non-mechanical aids as facilitate the use and manipulation of such hand tools. In the production of much so-called "hand wrought" silver the identical mechanical processes used in the initial shaping of the article in the normal course of silverware production are followed -- and in these cases the term "hand wrought" is incorrectly applied.

HOLLOW WARE

Sometimes spelled HOLLOWARE. See Dinner Ware.

INSULATORS

Heat resisting substances inserted between the handle and the body of such articles as kettles, tea pots, etc.

KNURLING

An ornament cut originally into steel rolls and then impressed from these rolls into the silver as borders on bowls, dishes, etc.

LAPPED BORDER

An article is said to have a rolled edge or lapped border when the metal has been rolled over the edge and spun under to give the effect of a rounded edge.

MIRROR FINISH

A term applied to highly polished stainless steel blades.

MOTIF

The dominant feature of a design.

MOUNTS

Small pieces of ornamental metal. These may be ornamented wires, casts or stamped silver soldered on the article as decorations.

NICKEL SILVER

Contains no silver at all. A composition of copper, nickel and zinc.

OXIDIZING

Method of accentuating and enhancing tile beauty of ornament by tile application of an oxide which darkens the metal wherever applied. Some methods of cleaning silver will remove this oxide.

PATINA

The finish or surface texture. As applied to silver it refers to the soft lustrous finish the metal acquires with years of usage.

PIERCING

A form of decoration produced by cutting away parts of the metal with cutting dies, punching tools, or in the case of hand piercing, with a thin steel blade with fine teeth.

RAW EDGE

Term applied to Hollow Ware pieces the edge of which has not been turned over or mounted with a border.

REPOUSSE

See Chasing.

ROLLED EDGE

See Lapped Border.

SAW PIERCE

See Piercing.

SHEFFIELD PLATE

The original substitute for Sterling Silver, now displaced by Silver Plate. It was made by fusing sheet silver onto copper, rolling and manufacturing into hollow ware. Tile discovery of the electrolytic process of depositing silver on a base metal made it possible to produce articles of similar quality to Sheffield at lower cost and so the Sheffield Plate process was virtually abandoned (circa 1840). To-day, most tine pieces of "Old Sheffield" are found in museums and private collections and virtually none of it is available in the commercial market. Much electro-plated ware is erroneously advertised or otherwise referred to as "Sheffield Plate." In the purchase of "Sheffield Plate," be sure of the reliability and integrity of your dealer.

SILVER PLATE

Articles made of a non-precious metal on which is deposited pure silver by the Electro-plating Process. (See Electro-plating.)

SILVER-SMITHING

General term applied to the various crafts involved in making articles of silver. With advancing specialization in the manufacture of Sterling ware, the term has narrowed down to cover specifically the crafts involved in shaping, fitting, and assembling the various parts of an article into a complete piece.

SPINNING

A method of forming or shaping pieces of silver hollow ware by revolving a flat disc of silver over a piece of wood or steel which has been made in the shape the silver is to assume. By moans of a tool, the silver is spread over the rotating form, finally achieving the desired shape.

STAINLESS STEEL

An alloy composed mainly of steel, nickel, and chromium, having generally greater strength than ordinary steel and possessing unusually high resistance to corrosion, tarnish, or stain by air, water and most acids.

STERLING SILVER

The word "STERLING" is the best known and most respected marking in use to-day. Pure silver alone is too soft for every day use. Copper is the metal commonly used to give "STERLING" its added stiffness and wearing qualities. STERLING is often referred to as solid silver. It is composed of 925 parts pure silver in every 1000 -- this proportion never varies -- it is fixed by law.

TOILET WARE

OR DRESSER SILVER

The general term applied to combs, brushes, mirrors, manicure sets, and other dresser and vanity accessories.

WHITE METAL

A mixture of tin, antimony and copper in varying proportions.