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Antique Telescope Dealers
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Selling Silver A Guide to the metal
Silver is much cheaper than gold, though still valuable, and so is very popular with jewelers who are just starting out and cannot afford to make pieces in gold, or as a practicing material for goldsmith apprentices. Silver has also become very fashionable, and is used frequently in more artistic jewelry pieces.
Traditionally silversmiths mostly made “silverware” (cutlery, table flatware, bowls, candlesticks and such). Only in more recent times has silversmithing become mainly work in jewelry, as much less solid silver tableware is now handmade.
Silver is a common metal, usually occuring in massive form as nuggets or grains , although it may also be found in wiry, dendritic (tree-like) aggregates. When newly mined or recently polished, it has a characteristic bright, silver-white colour and metallic lustre.However, on exposure to oxygen in the air a black layer of silver oxide readily forms, tarnishing the surface. Because of this, and the fact that it is too soft to be used in most jewellery in its pure form IT IS OFTEN MIXED.
Most silver is a by product of lead mining, and is often associated with copper. The main silver mining areas of the world are South America, the USA, Australia, and the former USSR. The greatest single producer of silver is probably Mexico, where silver has been mined from about AD 1500 to the present day.
Silver is the most reflective metal, which means that it can be polished to “give back” as much light as hits it. Silver is the best heat conductor of all metals. Its uses in solar panels and automobile rear window defoggers take advantage of this quality. Silver alloys readily with gold and copper and is commonly combined with one or both for manufacture of dental fillings and fixtures, jewellery and silverware. The atomic weight of silver is 107.870, and its atomic number is 47. Silver melts at a temperature of 1761 degrees F. or 960 degrees C. The film coating on mirror backings is a common “industrial” use of silver. Besides vanity uses, mirrors are important components in telescopes, microscopes and solar panels. Silver has a pure sweet acoustic resonance, better than any other metal, and is preferred by musicians for making high quality silver bells and musical instruments.
No doubt, as an investment, gold and platinum are far more highly regarded and desired metals but when it comes to style, design, versatility and mass appeal, silver more than holds its own position and regard. It is a metal long associated with all the goodness of the world, silver voiced, silver tongued, silver lining, silver screen, silver jubilee and silver spoon.
The use of silver began a long time ago. The discovery of methods to separate silver from lead occurred around 2000BC, enabled the extensive use of silver, especially for the purpose of jewellery and as a medium of exchange. Silver ornaments and decorations have been found in royal tombs 2000 years old. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors had discovered and developed silver mines in Mexico, Bolivia and Peru much richer in silver these new mines resulted in the rise of South and Central America as the largest silver producing areas in the world. In 1959, an extremely large silver deposit was discovered near Virginia City, Nevada this yielded over 225 million dollars in silver during its productive years and resulted in the United States becoming the world’s largest silver producer until the 20th century. Today, if we take a look at the international silver scenario, the message is clear to despite the glitter of gold and platinum; silver is holding its own position. Unlike white gold and platinum that tend to be expensive and offer comparatively lesser choice in their creations, silver is more affordable, accessible and offers a variety of collections which make it more preferred among not just the youth of today but also among the elders.
However for the modem woman, silver is not so much an investment but an invitation to indulge in jewellery that is as affordable as it is beauty. The metal’s aficionados wear their prized pieces of jewellery with as much delight as they would flaunt a priceless piece in gold. Sterling silver is 925 ie 92.5% pure silver Scrap Silver Wanted turning contents of your home for income silver for sale in UK used silver for sale buy silver sell Buy and Sell Silver coins We Buy Your Unwanted Silver
Silver hallmarks are an invaluable aid to collectors and dealers for identifying the date & maker of antique silver, and indeed any piece of silver made in England. modern silver hallmarks Hallmarks on silver were first introduced in the UK in 1300 as a method of proving that the silver object contained the correct amount of silver, since pure silver is a very soft metal and consequently any object made from silver requires some base metal to be added to it to strengthen it. In these early days it was not uncommon for silver objects to be melted down and converted into coinage, and so it was imperative that the silver used was of a sufficient grade, especially with continental silver containing a much lower percentage of silver. Silver Hallmarks were the answer to this problem. Any piece of silver had to be officially approved to be of a high enough silver content, and would be given it’s hallmark only when this was the case. As a consequence the hallmark became a standard of quality and assurance, and the presence of a hallmark on a silver object was an official seal of approval. English silver, or Sterling silver is often referred to as solid silver, but it does in fact contain 7.5% copper, so it is 92.5% pure, which is why modern silver often has a .925 mark stamped into it. Continental silver is often only 80% pure. English Silver Hallmarks evolved over time, with the eventual inclusion of the standard or sterling mark, the assay office, the year of manufacture, the maker, and sometimes an additional mark for special reasons. All of these silver hallmarks can help in identifying exactly when and by who any piece was made, which is not only helpful to collectors of antique silver, but also offers a fascinating dimension to any old silver object that you may possess.
Sourceshttp://www.birminghamsilvercompany.co.uk
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2011/16-11
http://www.birminghamgoldcompany.co.uk
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