Every year as the Lunar New Year approaches I try to find the right image to send auspicious wishes

This year – the Year of the Dragon – I just don’t know which one to choose…

Will it be the magnificent dragons on this large Japanese Export silver table box?

All double skinned- the deep repousse work by the Japanese Export silversmiths was always lined by another layer of silver and looks perfect.

Or would it be this classic Chinese Export silver presentation bowl by Wang Hong of Hong Kong

Or would it be this totally over the top Chinese Export silver tea pot – dragon handle, dragon finial and even dragon detail on the spout

Or do I look to the West –  sometimes we come across Western dragons – like this Celtic version on the handle of a sauce boat – those dragons get everywhere

Why is the dragon motif so powerful?  After all he was beaten to the Chinese Emperor’s party by the rat, the ox the tiger and the rabbit.  He only came in fifth!

Don’t underestimate the power of the dragon – I did when I was pregnant and expecting a baby at the very beginning of the year of the dragon.  By the time I went to the doctor all the maternity beds in Singapore were fully booked for the due time – Off to Malaysia with you!

The dragon is all powerful:  Dragons are powerful spiritual representations. They have a long and storied history in many different cultures in the world.  Whether dragons are four-legged, indomitable beasts as depicted in Europe, or intelligent, wingless, and snake-like in East Asia, they have always represented unapproachable power and might.  No other mythological creature, regardless of its representation in different parts of the world, has been mightier.

In Eastern cultures, the dragon is often a revered figure, a symbol of power, wisdom, and good fortune. In China, it’s associated with the emperor, embodying his authority and control over the elements. The majestic Chinese dragon, serpentine and wise, brings rain and symbolizes prosperity.  Five clawed dragons were reserved for the Emperor.  Four clawed dragons were reserved for the mandarins but the foreigners mostly managed to get four clawed dragons

Japanese dragons, meanwhile, are guardians of temples and spiritual protectors, often depicted with benevolent, almost human-like expressions.  Very high profile as you can see on this bowl . 

The dragon’s fiery side also takes hold in Western tales. It represents chaos, greed and danger. Think of the fearsome beasts guarding hoards of gold in European folktales, or the fire-breathing monsters slain by valiant knights. These dragons embody untamed nature, a force to be conquered by human courage and ingenuity.  But the dragon is the heraldic symbol that represents Wales – very much part of the Celtic lore. A whole genre has grown up around celtic silver

Dragons are special and people born in the year of the dragon are special..

So this year 2024 – the year of the green wood dragon should be a magnificent year. Career progress will be excellent due to the determination and optimistic nature of the Dragon. On the money front, the situation is encouraging with large cash flow. The list goes on…

Check out your horoscopes here!

Having had fun putting together this quiz I thought I should put it up as a blog….

Question 1
How many marks would you expect to see on English silver hallmarked before 1890?

Question 2

How old is this tea set?

Question 3

Where is this from and how old is it?

Question 4

What is the symbolism behind this menu holder?

Question 5

What is extra special about this piece?

Find the answers in my other blogs https://esmeparishsilver.com/?s=blog

The typical shape is considered boat-like, hence the name. It often sits on a matching saucer, sometimes attached to the pitcher, to catch dripping sauce.

Sometimes in porcelain but many times in silver we find some really great pieces so useful with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner

This photo shows just some of the various silver sauce boats crafted over the years

Often in pairs we also find single pieces perfect for sauces.

Let’s start with an extra-large pair of very old sauce boats:

These sauce boats are almost 200 years old – by William Galloway they are hallmarked London 1824 and are 21cms from lip to handle and 10.5cms high and weigh 850 grams – big!

They are in the classic shape – standing on three cast feet with shell bases. The feet are attached to the body of the pieces with more shell motifs

The curly handle makes them easy to use.  The chasing on the body of the boats is typical of that period

These extra large sauce boats would have been needed at all those large house parties

Do sauce boats change?

Maybe not so much- these sauce boats date from nearly 100 years later:

You still see the three feet – this time ending in the shape of a horse’s hoof.  The curled handle that makes them easy to use is still there

Nothing like as big  –  19cms from handle to spout and weighing 682 grams.  Maybe dinner parties have got smaller …

What is different about these sauce boats is the whimsical chasing of birds, fruit and animals on the body of the pieces – very much in fashion in the late 19^th century

Just a few years later and we find a completely different version of sauce boats

Still boat like in shape but altogether more modern – reflecting the art deco period.  These sauce boats are by CS Harris and dated 1919

 They are 19cms long and 11cms wide and 9cms high and weigh 700 grams – and would fit into every contemporary home

This single sauce boat is pure Art Deco in its form – the clean straight lines of the 1930’s and 1940’s

This small sauce boat has the so elegant ring handle and the simple round foot

These sauce boats are a mere 50 years old , hand crafted by Roberts & Dore and hallmarked 1972

They are in the Celtic style https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_knot

But with these pieces we have the addition of Celtic dragons that form the handles and heads form the ends of the feet

So not every dragon is a Chinese one!

Occasionally we find a sauce boat in Chinese silver

This single sauce boat is by Cumshing and given the shape probably dates from the early 1900’s

Chrysanthemums have been repousse worked on the body and the handle is made to look like a chrysanthemum stem. Chrysanthemums bloom through the frost.

Chinese Export silver motifs and more… – Esme Parish Silver

Do get in touch if you would like to see any of these fine examples of sauce boats

Silver craftsmanship has been around in China for thousands of years but it wasn’t until the late 18^th century that the name Chinese Export Silver began to be used

It grew out of the Canton system of trade

https://brewminate.com/the-canton-trade-system-in-china-in-the-18th-and-19th-centuries/

The foreign merchants were corralled in the foreign settlement of Canton whilst they traded the silks and teas and spices for which the West had an insatiable urge.

The merchants from all the foreign trading nations came on the monsoon winds in the Spring, worked with their local Hong merchants to source all these luxuries and then left when the Monsoon winds could take them away – 

A captive audience for many months – not just for the luxury products but also for the essentials of life – tailors and cobblers and silversmiths were attracted to the foreign settlement to meet this demand

Here is the map of the foreign settlements – the silversmiths worked on the street just above where the American Factory is marked

So Chinese Export silver was born

The British merchants had a long tradition of using silver – the luxury requirement for the upper classes.  But it was expensive.  As well as being a precious metal, the British craftsmanship was expensive and even worse taxes had to be paid to the crown when the silver was assayed (hallmarks added to prove it was truly silver)  – see my blog for more details :

https://esmeparishsilver.com/blog/english-silver-marks/

These  first pieces of Chinese Export silver were made to look just like English silver.  Merchants would bring some sample pieces and ask for them  to be copied.  And that was exactly what the silversmiths would do – down to those funny little marks on the back

Here are some examples of these early Chinese Export silver marks – known as “pseudo marks”

 This one looks like a foo dog

This one the leopard is grinning from ear to ear

 As you can imagine many pieces have been miscatalogued over the years because of the similarity in these marks to the real thing – so once again this marks are all important!

Much of the early Chinese Export silver was flatware.  The merchant would bring a sample fork or spoon and get it copied for very little money.  Sadly a lot of this has been melted down over the years.  The Chinese craftsmen were paid by weight so the Chinese Export silver pieces were considerably heavier than their western counterparts

But as well as flatware the silversmiths also made some holloware – tea sets and bowls and presentation cups. 

This Chinese Export silver tea pot is by Khecheong c 18230 .  Weighing 1200 grams – weighing so much more than a similar pot made in Britain at that time – the silversmiths were paid by weight and then a small percentage for workmanship – make those things heavy!

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/chinese/pseudo-hallmark-chinese-tea-pot/   

These Chinese Export silver salts are by Sunshing.  Dating from around 1830 – they even have a coat of arms engraved – the original owner really wanted to impress the neighbours as well as getting a bargain!   And again much heavier than usual

These early pieces of Chinese Export silver are really hard to find – right now I am thrilled to have one excellent example:

This Chinese Export silver bowl is by Khecheong and dates from around 1830.  It has the pseudo hallmarks and like all these early pieces is extremely heavy for its size – 780 grams

Check out on my website for more details:

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/chinese/bowls-chinese/early-chinese-export-silver-bowl/

With the Opium Wars in the 1840’s trade with China opened up and was no longer confined to Canton. 

 Hong Kong and Shanghai became the main centres for Chinese Export silver.  The forms and designs changed and developed and Export silver became a very different art form – more on that later..

But these early Chinese Export silver pieces are very special, were never made in quantities and only a few pieces have survived so grab them when you can –

Are you looking for pieces to add to your Chinese Export Silver collection ?

I have been sourcing Chinese Export silver now for more than 30 years.  I have a gallery in Singapore where I have a huge range of sterling silver on display with many pieces of Chinese Export silver – collectibles that can be used.

 I also have a superb range of Chinese Export silver pieces as well as other antique and contemporary silver items in Hong Kong which are available for viewing at all times.   The pseudo hall marked bowl is in Hong Kong but can come to Singapore if anyone would like to see it in “person”!

Do get in touch if you would like to browse in either location. 

If you are looking for a special piece to add to your collection then do let us know

Browse more on https://esmeparishsilver.com

Make an appointment with me on esme@esmeparishsilver.com or by Whats App +65 91546662

Follow the link to find out more about this particular piece

Antique Silver Treasures – where are they from?  What are they worth?

Just the other day I got an email from a lady – she had found a silver vase and could I help her find out where it is from.

This is an easy one – the crab was the mark used by Paris and other regions of France to indicate 800 fineness of silver – not quite sterling (925)  but the colour will not rub off!

The diamond lozenge on the left gives the maker’s initials

We traced the maker:        Gaston Bardies working in Paris from 1897 -1914

I don’t think it’s a vase.  I think it is a candle holder .  Any ideas?

For sure it was fun to find and I think the lady had a great bargain.  Good news

Over the years so many people have come with their family treasures or their super bargains only to discover that the treasure or the bargain is not what it appears to be.

The answer is in the marks

Another time I was given the opportunity to sell a very expensive and much venerated silver kettle  – a family heirloom.  This was going to net the family serious money.

The antique silver kettle was by Jacob Margas. He was a Huguenot silversmith: https://huguenotmuseum.org/about/the-huguenots/

born in the 1670’s to a London based silversmith family. He was apprenticed to another silversmith and gained his own mark in the early 1700’s.  He is much-collected and pieces made by him are in the British Museum. He is known for his shaped teapots and kettle – so looking really good!

Sadly it was not the case.  The stand was indeed by Jacob Margas but the marks on the kettle were not right

Here are the marks on the base on the tea pot – all in a straight line

Here is an illustration of how the marks should have looked – in a scatter format not in a straight line.

The marks on the Jacob Margas tea pot had been lifted from maybe a pot stand or similar – a piece,  indeed, made by him and then the actual section with the hallmarks had been cut out and  inserted into the base of the tea pot .  The silver pot was made by someone else in the Jacob Margas style.

This was happening a lot in the 1970’s when American collectors discovered Georgian and early English silver and the London silver dealer market obliged by finding special pieces to fit their requests!

The value of the kettle plummeted – not serious money after all. Bad news

Those silver marks are all important but it’s not just marks alone….

I’ve been in the antique silver business for almost 40 years now.  The pieces I sell are authentic and I guarantee to sell you the genuine article – be it a small vase/candle holder or an exquisite Georgian silver tea pot.   

If you would like to get in touch and see more of our many special antique silver pieces please contact me on What’s App 9154 662 or email me: esme@esmeparishsilver.com

See you soon!

Chinoiserie is a word borrowed from French and means a style in art reflecting Chinese qualities or motifs. 

It is the European interpretation and imitation of Chinese and other East Asian artistic traditions and  focuses on subjects that were thought by colonial-era Europeans to be typical of Chinese culture

In the17th and 18^th centuries Europeans had a fascination with Asia due to their increased, but still restricted, access to new cultures through expanded trade with East Asia, especially China. The limited number of European first-hand experiences of East Asia and their restricted circulation created some interesting interpretations of exactly what life in China was like.

As a style, chinoiserie is related to the Rococo style.  Both styles are characterized by exuberant decoration, asymmetry, a focus on materials, and stylized nature and subject matter that focuses on leisure and pleasure. Chinoiserie focuses on subjects that were thought by colonial-era Europeans to be typical of Chinese culture.

The influence of Chinoiserie was seen in paintings, ceramics, lacquer-ware, textiles

Interestingly it wasn’t until the early 19^th century that silver became one of the art forms that benefited from this western interpretation of things Chinese

Almost all the pieces of Chinoiserie silver we find are from the early 19^th century

Here we have a wonderful example of Chinoiserie silver.

This three piece teaset is by Henry Holland – a well respected silversmith.  The hallmarks show his makers mark and the marks for London 1824.

It is typical of the chonoiserie style – the exuberant decoration, the closely chased work on the round bodies but most of all it has to be the Chinese coolies that form the finial and the decoration on the handles.  Note the handle-bar moustaches on the faces of the figures on the handles – definitely a western interpretation!

This tea set would have been the height of fashion as it was made.

Look at this amazing Chinoiserie silver caddy dated 1853

Chinese tea in a Chinoiserie tea caddy!       

 Again you see with this creamer, by Napthali Hart dated 1821, the typical flamboyant Chinoiserie style. Note the western interpretation of a coolie.

This is a Chinoiserie silver bowl by Joseph Angell dated 1839 complete with the coat of arms of the original owner.

It wasn’t just grand pieces of silver that were given the Chinoiserie treatment:

  This Chinoiserie silver mustard pot dates from 1844

But as always beware

This fine tea pot is Chinoiserie silver courtesy of the final. The finial has the same makers mark and date as the tea pot

Sometimes coolie finials are added to non-Chinoiserie pieces – always check

I found this finial in a market -add this to a tea pot and up goes the price!

The opium wars of 1839–1842 between Britain and China disrupted trade and the whole new genre of Chinese Export silver was born

See my blog: Chinese Export silver marks – early quality control – Esme Parish Silver

 and there was less demand for the English silversmiths to make Chinese look-alike pieces.

If you want to see some of these Chinoiserie silver pieces then do contact me either via whats app – hit the button- or via email esme@esmeparishsilver.com

Nearly forty years ago when I first started collecting and selling silver all the inscriptions on silver were rubbed – almost automatically – who knows how much history has been lost?  People wanted old things looking new – at least to them! 

Nowadays, though, we have learnt the error of our ways and I am thrilled when I am able to find silver pieces that tell a story

Let me start with one of my favourite pieces – I think you will understand why…

I found this just as I was starting my silver business – It is a campaign set made by Hamilton & Co of Calcutta and dates from the middle of the 19^th century.  Esmé is a man’s name and this Esmé would have been an officer in the Indian army. There is a wine goblet and a sherry goblet at the other end,  sections for the condiments and the big beaker would have been for the food.  Sometimes these sets even come with knives and forks.  Where did this set go, what campaigns did it fight ?

And here we have the cutlery

A mini version :

Euphemia is the name engraved on the reserve of this set hallmarked 1830.  I looked up Euphemia’s of 1830…

Was she Euphemia Liddell who made a beautiful cross stitch tapestry?  … We will never know.  Whoever this lady was she would never have used the cutlery available at the Inn when she stepped down from her carriage on her slow journey to wherever her country estate was

Here  we have moved continents and centuries. 

This Indian silver presentation bowl has the inscription “ Presented by N C Mukerji to Miss Hoyne Fox  22. 9 . 08”.  It was made in Puna and has dancing divinities set in shaped lozenges worked around the curvaceous body of the bowl.

Mr Mukerji was a Christian  ethics philosopher teaching in Northern India in the early 20^th century.  Miss Hoyne Fox was the daughter of the architect , Henry Hoyne Fox , who was the consulting architect to the Burmese government in the 1890’s and 1900’s .  He was responsible for many of the municipal buildings in Rangoon built by the British that are still there.  Why did Mr Mukerji give Miss Hoyne Fox this bowl ? Answers on a postcard…!

The inscription brings the bowl alive!

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/indian-burmese/bowls-indian-burmese/indian-bowl/

Here is a salver with history

The salver was found in its original silk lined presentation box.  Dragons everywhere and in the middle is the inscription to Bro. Robert Davidson Neish from his fellow freemasons    – that inscription should not be rubbed!   What must life have been like in Shanghai in the 1920’s ?

Boxes often have great inscriptions

This is a cigar case.  The mark LC means that the case was made by Leeching known to be working in Shanghai around 1840 – this one is engraved 1865 and 1 Talbot Square , Hyde Park – which is now a hotel where you can get free Wifi!!  But who lived there a 150 years ago?https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/chinese/boxes-chinese/chinese-export-silver-cigar-case/

And here is a table box presented to Staff Sergeant Avenall by the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters.  This battalion arrived in Hong Kong around 1902 so this box must date from the early 1900’s.  Why did your family sell the box, Sergeant Avenall? Removing this engraving would take away the history and leave a large empty reserve.  But maybe the new owner will have an equally auspicious event -in which case go for it!  

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/chinese/boxes-chinese/bamboo-box/ ‎

And here we have a rosewater sprinkler

Mostly the inscriptions are either initials or coats of arms

American sterling silver and especially Tiffany silver (remember Breakfast at Tiffanys?) usually have great initials. This antique serving dish is a typical example – it dates from between 1891-1902 – EFC or ECF – where are you now?

For more details:

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/wedding-gifts-others/american/american-silver-clad-water-jug/

But engravings are by no means limited to American silver

The 19^th century was the age when Britain ruled the waves.  Ideally you would have your coat of arms engraved on your silver but failing that at least your four! initials

This magnificent early Victorian three -piece tea set is hallmarked 1839 and has dragon coat of arms

This fine tea pot dates from 1773.  Whilst England was trying to stop the American Revolution, this early Georgian sterling silver tea pot was being used to serve tea..  The original owner was “AL” – who know what the tea pot has seen over the last 250 years!

or this cruet

This impressive Victorian cruet set in the original carousel with all the original bottles dates from 1864.  The initials have been there for nearly 150 years … No need to erase these

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/english/victorian/victorian-cruet/

We also see initials on Chinese Export silver – all part of making sure the neigbours knew your true status

The early pieces from the Canton period https://esmeparishsilver.com/wp-admin/post.php?post often had initials – all to impress the people back home

Two dragons chase the magic pearl which forms a reserve for engraving – and they have gone for it!  – ETT?  They are finely done and the reserve would be very shiny and obvious set amongst all that close repousse work – maybe leave them?

Sometimes the engraved wordings/initials are ugly and possibly were added later..  Trawling through I cannot find any examples.  These for sure should be rubbed.  But do beware – the bright shiny reserve that’s left might not match the original style and patina of the piece

As you can imagine I could go on forever about silver with inscriptions – so many coats of arms, so many initials – always wanting to impress the neighbours but I’ll finish on a light note

Frank – you must have passed away many years ago but we still remember you!

https://esmeparishsilver.com/product/chinese/bowls-chinese/chinese-silver-friendly-bowl/

Do contact us if you would like to learn more – esme@esmeparishsilver.com or click the green button

Chinese Export silver marks

British silver is hall marked with a coded system

See my blog:

English Silver Marks – Esme Parish Silver

And initially, interestingly, in the early years of Chinese Export silver a similar coding system was used by the Chinese silversmiths- it seemed to please the foreigners who were buying their silver so…

See my blog:

The Origins of Chinese Export Silver – In the Beginning.. – Esme Parish Silver

But as trade opened up with Britain and the other Western nations after the Opium Wars of the 1840’s

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Opium-Wars

the Chinese silversmiths found their own genre and their own way of marking

From the mid-19^th Century the Chinese silver marks began to form a pattern

There would be western mark – usually with the letters of the silver shop and then a Chinese mark which would be the mark of the silversmith who actually made the product

This is mark of the well-known silversmith, Wang Hing, who was known to have a shop in Queens Road, Hong Kong from the 1880’s through to the 1930’s.

WH obviously stands for the initials and the Chinese chop in the centre indicates the silversmith who actually made the piece – Just like Rembrandt and the Night Watch, Wang Hing would have had a team of craftsmen working to his specifications and quality – He could not have possibly made all those pieces with his mark himself! He would not have had a wink of sleep!!

But what does the “90” mean?   When tested the pieces made by Wang Hing are all of high-quality silver.  The “90” indicates this quality and many pieces are well in excess of 90% silver.

CHINESE EXPORT SILVER FOUR PIECE TEA SET – Esme Parish Silver

Each piece has his mark :

Occasionally we find pieces with Wang Hing written in full

CHINESE EXPORT SILVER BASKET – Esme Parish Silver

This mark is often considered to be the work of the master himself –Maybe…

But whatever, the Wang Hing mark is a guarantee of quality – both of the silver content and the craftsmanship – early quality control

Hong Kong was a huge source of Chinese Export silver but in the late 19^th and early 20^th century it was considered a bit of a cowboy town full of bucaneers!

The REAL centre of life was sophisticated and diplomatic Shanghai and some of the best silversmiths / silver retailers were based there

Luen Wo was one of the most prestigeous retail shops with top quality pieces and was renowned for his pieces with the chrysanthemum motif

Trading alamancs have him working in Shanghai from 1880’s through to the 1930’s

Here is an example of his mark

The depth and detail of the chrysanthemum flowers ..

Once again we see the western initials and the Chinese chop of the actual craftsman

Sometimes we find pieces with “Luen Wo” written in full – often pieces that were made in the early 20^th century

Here we have a classic Chinese Export silver bowl where the inscription dates it to 1917 and the Luen Wo is written in full

CHINESE SILVER FRIENDLY BOWL – Esme Parish Silver

There were other well established silver makers/retailers in Shanghai

Tuck Chang was well known for his lightly hammered backgrounds often with bamboo and many of his pieces date from the early 20^th century

But often we see his name in full

But as with Wang Hing you see a western mark and a Chinese chop – the silver shop in western script with the makers mark in Chinese script.

Another well known Shanghai based name was Hung Chong – again indicated in the trading almanacs to be working in the last years of the 19th and early years of the 20th century

Here we have a complete vanity set which is still in the original silk lined box

CHINESE EXPORT SILVER VANITY SET – Esme Parish Silver

Sing Fatt ( various spellings ) was a silversmith who continued working in Canton after the Opium wars – and again you find some excellent quality examples of his work.

Sometimes you find just the Chinese chop – certainly on any Straits settlement silver – these pieces were meant for the local market , never meant to travel so no need for those western letters

Here is a magnificent tall Chinese Export silver presentation vase

Crisp as the day it was made -clearly for a western buyer- the shape , the size , the dragon motif  but the vase only has a Chinese chop – no western mark

This is clearly a top quality presentation piece – maybe the buyer just wanted to cut out the retailer , or knew a quality silver maker so no need to go via a retail shop.

CHINESE EXPORT SILVER DRAGON VASE – Esme Parish Silver

Whatever happens when you are being offered Chinese Export silver look for the marks – the well established silver shops in Hong Kong , Shanghai and Canton will have marked the pieces – their guarantee of quality. The private makers would have been proud of their work and so would have marked them

Occasionally if pieces were part of a set not all the pieces in the set would have been marked . Years later the set could have been separated and so an unmarked piece of good Chinese Export silver can be found ( often Chinese Export silver napkin rings are unmarked )

There are lists of Chinese Export silver marks on the internet – there are many!

If you have a piece which you think might be Chinese Export silver and would like to learn more then do get in touch

Touch the what’s app button https://wa.me/6591546662

I’ll need a photo of that all important mark as well one of the item

Marks still rule!

Look forward to hearing from you

People pop in and can’t believe that they cannot get a silver (coloured!) tray for S$100 or spend S$50 and get a bowl.  Sorry!

I am selling Sterling Silver – the real stuff not a veneer.  If melted down you would get real money so – guess what?- it costs more than plated silver!

Silver Plate is made of a base metal – usually something like nickel- which is electroplated with layers of silver.  In theory a layer of plating survives a year of cleaning.

Top quality Silver Plate comes with some 40 layers of plating, so a top-quality Silver Plate producer is able to give a ‘lifetime’ guarantee.   But it is still Silver Plate and not Sterling Silver!

Some well-known exclusive brands sell silver items with significantly less than 40 layers of plating.  The pieces will wear through to the base yellowish colour metal quite quickly – especially if you are living in a humid climate where items need to be cleaned often.

There is no intrinsic value or resale value.  Taken out of the shop and the resale value disappears.

So yes! my items are more expensive.  But they are not Silver plate!

They are Sterling Silver.  No – not 100% silver.  That would be too soft for daily use.  Silver needs a hardening agent – traditionally copper- so Sterling Silver is 92.5% silver and the balance copper.

Different countries have different ways of marking silver so you know for sure how to identify the real thing.

Just a quick Silver Lady ‘rule of thumb’ – the more the number of marks the less likely the item is to be Sterling Silver!

Look at this picture ….

Here you see two silver-coloured items.  The top has plenty of marks but no lion! It is Silver Plate.

The bottom has the lion passant – the symbol used by English silversmiths since Medieval times to show an item is Sterling Silver.

The lion is the all-important mark when looking at English silver.  If it is missing, then they didn’t forget to put the mark on the item, they just ‘forgot’ to make it of Sterling Silver!

Silver plated

Sterling silver

Two frames the same size – Which one is cheaper?              The second one !

-Which one will stay silver forever? –                                  Yes, the second one!

Check out our range of frames :  https://silverframessingapore.com   https://silverframeshongkong.com

There is a role for Silver Plate.  There are many beautiful silver-plated items.  They make excellent decoration and certainly you might get much more “bang for your buck” in terms of size.

But just beware that keen cleaning Silver Plate can bring it back to what is – base metal with a veneer- and to re-plate is expensive.

Real silver comes from many different sources – Chinese Export, Japanese Export , Indian/ Burmese

Just check the source before you spend big bucks …

So: Back to the real Silver Lady! And yes! the real thing does cost more!  But it lasts forever!

Take it away from my gallery and it will retain its value.

Not expensive lah!; just value for money.