English Basket in Silver

Finely worked silver basket with chisel with decorations for plant motifs across the board. The interior of the basket and under the base are in Vermeil silver. Brands of silver I stumbled. 250 grams. The French term Vermeil indicates a variety of golden silver. The characteristics required for this material are a sterling silver base, covered with a gold plating to at least 10 carats and the thickness of at least 1 micron and a half. However, the use of 14 carat gold is common, with higher thickness. The chemical affinity between silver and gold gives the plating good resistance skills. Currently the plating is obtained for electrolysis. Originally, when this process was introduced to France, in the mid -eighteenth century, a gilding was carried out. The plating allows you to avoid the problems related to silver oxidation, the Vermeil being more expensive than silver is a material used to create valuable objects (jewelry, medals, fountain pens, cutlery, toilet services, watches, refreshments, Tabacchiere, Nécessaires traveling, cc.). In fact, its cost is intermediate between that of the two elements that constitute it.