Definition of silver metal
Silver plating is a goldsmithing technique that consists of depositing a layer of silver (often electroplated) on a metal that forms the core of an object, first bronze and then nickel silver. As a result, silver-plated metal is actually silver plated, unlike solid silver.
This technique is mainly used for the low-cost manufacture of objects traditionally made of silver, silverware, in particular silver-plated household and tableware, silver-plated candlesticks and silver-plated altar crucifixes. Larger silver objects such as ladles, tumblers, coffee pots and silver baptismal spoons are often made from silver-plated metal.
Le terme « métal argenté » désigne également les objets réalisés avec la technique du plaqué argent, nous disons par exemple « une ménagère en métal argenté« .
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Recognizing Silver Metal
Knowing whether an object is silver-plated is quite difficult for many people. There are several clues and pieces of evidence that can help you recognize silver plating. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to recognize silver plating, from the simplest to the most complicated.
Silver-plated metal hallmark
In most cases, a silver hallmark is affixed to the object at the time of manufacture, as a guarantee of the metal used. It may differ according to the origin of the silver-plated object. When the hallmark is square with a number inside, it means that it's made of silver. silver plated.
The number determines the weight of silver used to produce the silver plating on the silver-plated object or cutlery set. silvery metal. For example, a silver-plated metal hallmark 84 means that 84 grams of silver were used to cover the silver-plated cutlery set.
On silver-plated cutlery, the hallmark can be found behind the handle or on the face of the cutlery, around the edge or under larger items.
Visual Metal Inspection
If you can't see the silver-plated hallmark, or if it's missing, you can look at the contours if the object is worn enough. If you notice a difference in hue between the exposed material and the worn material, you are probably looking at silver-plated metal. As the coated material is usually brass or pewter, the exposed metal will often be yellowish in color.
Finally, it is possible to use a more advanced silver testing technique, the results of which can determine with certainty whether the metal is silver-plated.
In terms of raw material value, silver-plated metal isn't worth much. Remember that this type of object is manufactured on a base of base metal, i.e. of very low value, and covered with a thin layer of silver a few microns thick. It is this thin layer of silver alone that is recoverable, requiring treatments that often cost more than the value of the fine silver precious metal recovered from it.
However, these silver-plated objects can have a value other than that of the raw material. They can be appraised according to the silversmith's signature, the brand, the attractiveness of the model and the difficulty of manufacture. You can only resell them in stores specializing in silverware and silver-plated metal, provided the service or objects are complete and in reasonably good condition.
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Silver plating through history
Au XVIIIe siècle, on utilisait le plaqué dit aussi « doublé ».
Today, silver and gold are produced by electrolysis, a patent registered simultaneously in 1840 by the Frenchman Henri de Ruolz (1808-1887) and the Englishman Henry Elkington (1801-1865), and sold in 1842 to Charles Christofle (1805-1863), who perfected the process with his nephew and successor Henri Bouilhet.
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