Is Siam Sterling valuable?
Most pieces aren’t worth a ton of money, but if you think you have something large or unusual, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Collectors of Siam sterling get very serious about unusual colors and large, rare pieces and will pay top dollar.
What does Siam sterling stamp mean?
Siam sterling jewelry is sterling silver jewelry made in Thailand and depicts the characters of mythology and from the Ramakien (the Thailand national story) as well as the story of Mekhala and Ramasoon. It was manufactured with two different combinations – Sterling / Niello and Sterling / Enamel.
What is Amfarco?
Amfarco was the mark for a Siam silver company named Amfarco and Hamlet & Co. Neillo is a technique of filling a carved out section of sterling silver with a black metallic compound usually made of sulfur, copper, silver, and lead, then polishing until smooth.
How do you clean Nielloware?
How to clean Russian niello/silver boxes: As a collector of Russian silver of all typs, my cleaning advice is: First wash the box in some dish washing solution with a soft toothbrush to delete the dirt and grease. After that polish it with cotton wool and some silver polish paste.
What is Niello jewelry?
Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. Periods when engraving filled in with niello has been used to make full images with figures have been relatively few, but include some significant achievements.
Is Thai silver hallmarked?
The vast majority of silverware in Thailand does not possess any reign or maker’s mark or other indicator as to date or place of manufacture. Most of the marks found are Chinese “chop marks”, stamped onto the underside of the silver object, perhaps with the aim of validating authenticity.
What is niello jewelry?
Is silver worth more polished or unpolished?
The patina on a piece is best judged on a piece that has been properly cleaned. Overpolishing can reduce both the patina and its marketability; while mechanical polishing can reduce the value in a collector’s eye. Silver should shine – always.
Does tarnish damage silver?
Tarnish is a corrosion process known as black silver sulphide. It appears as a gradual discolouration from yellow or pink, to brown, dark grey then black. It also causes silver to lose its sheen.
What is black niello?
Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. In many cases, especially in objects that have been buried underground, where the niello is now lost, the roughened surface indicates that it was once there.
How old is Damascene jewelry?
The artisans of Damascus, Syria are credited with developing the process into a high art form over 2,000 years ago, hence the name “damascene.” History tells us that in the 8th century this metal technique was carried to Japan via the “Silk Road” from Damascus to Japan.