Victorian Gilt Silver Vinaigrette with Engine Turned Decoration
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Victorian gilt sterling silver vinaigrette, hallmarked Birmingham, 1875, Gu (George Unite), of rounded rectangular form, with engine turned decoration to cover featuring engraved initials within a circular sash, with bright cut decoration to sides, opening to reveal a pierced foliate grille, total weight 24.66gm, 2.8 cm x 4.6 cm
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- Engine Turned - Engine turning is a decorative technique used on metal surfaces to create intricate curving or geometric pattern. The process involves cutting a series of lines into the surface of the metal using a rose engine or decoration lathe which rotates the metal as it cuts, allowing the operator to create a repeating pattern that covers the entire surface. The resulting surface has a shimmering, reflective quality that is often described as "engine turned." Where an engine turned item has been enamelled, the term used to describe the decoration is usually guilloche.
Engine turning was originally developed to decorate metal objects such as firearms, scientific instruments, and other metal objects that required precise and elegant design. - Victorian Period - The Victorian period of furniture and decorative arts design covers the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There was not one dominant style of furniture in the Victorian period. Designers used and modified many historical styles such as Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical and others, although use of some styles, such as English Rococo and Gothic tended to dominate the furniture manufacture of the period.
The Victorian period was preceded by the Regency and William IV periods, and followed by the Edwardian period, named for Edward VII (1841 ? 1910) who was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India for the brief period from 1901 until his death in 1910. - Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
- Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
- Bright Cut Decoration - Bright cut decoration is a technique used to decorate silver and other metal objects, such as jewellery and flatware, with intricate and detailed patterns. The technique involves using a small, sharp tool called a graver to carve designs into the surface of the metal. These designs are then polished, creating a bright, reflective surface that contrasts with the surrounding metal. The designs can be simple or complex, and can include geometric shapes, scrolling vines, and other decorative elements. The technique is highly skilled and requires a lot of precision, patience and attention to detail.
Bright cut decoration was widely used in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in the silverware and jewellery industries. It was popular in the United States, Great Britain and Europe.
Today, bright cut decoration is still used by some craftsmen and artists, but it is considered a traditional technique and is not as widely used as it was in the past. However, the bright cut decoration on a silver object is still considered a sign of quality and craftsmanship and is highly prized by collectors of antique silver and other metal objects.
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