Old Sheffield Plate; Its Technique and History as Illustrated in a Single Private Collection

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918. Excerpt: ... REPRODUCTIONS AND FAKES SINCE Sheffield Plate has come to be more widely appreciated, some interest has been shown in an effort to revive the old industry, and as I have already stated, a number of very creditable reproductions have been produced by the old method. These are all in the styles belonging to the later period when the body of the tray or dish was made from the sheet of rolled plate, and the ornamental edges and mounts struck from silver by means of dies, then filled and fixed with soft solder. Modern workmen, however, find the process so difficult that the saving in the value of the metal, now comparatively cheap, is nearly balanced by the extra cost of manufacture, so that the selling price of these reproductions is very little less than that of modern silver or of genuine old plated ware. From this it is evident that from a commercial standpoint the old process has lost its raison d'etre, for it is obviously absurd to imitate an imitation at approximately the cost of the genuine article, and purchasers who can afford old Sheffield Plate or reproductions in modern silver would be unwise in paying equally high prices for modern plated ware. Moreover manufacturers say that it is impossible to find workmen nowadays who are sufficiently skilful to copy by the old method the finer and more delicate designs of the eighteenth century, so that true reproductions of the more beautiful and interesting pieces are out of the question anyway, though they can be copied fairly well in silver. I therefore conclude that while a few people might have a sentimental interest in the revival of this discontinued industry, the making of Sheffield Plate has become to all intents and purposes a lost art, and it is not probable that there will ever be any demand for ...