Nickel Silver history of Henniger and Dr. Geitner's Argentan

[silverport]

Hello all

In times of war, and especially then after war’s, it was usual for economic reason in German speaking area, to lower the part of silver in silver alloy to 12 Lot (750-1,000); and some times, some alloy were self less as these.

In an anecdotical report is mentioned, that the Berlin silversmith Henniger during enter on horseback of Mongolian troops to Berlin, who had chased to there the Napoleonic soldiers, which fled Russia, observed, that the Metal parts of horse’s harness were shining silver. He organized some of these, made from »Packfong« called metal, and analyzed these — astound on the fact, that these never contained any gram of silver! They were metallurgical total different, as all the metal alloys he has known until then.

In year 1823 was a competition, published by the »Verein zur Beförderung des Gewerbefleißes in Preußen« (Assoziation for Progress of Trade Development in Prussia), to invent a neither silver containing metal alloy, which when polished, would have the same appearances as the then usual 12 Lot silver (750-1,000) — and which (not containing silver) could detected only by chemical-physical test methods.

Henniger, was until then by his membership of Berlin Gold- and Silversmith Guild gehandicaped, to make and work with no precious metals; which in that time was only permitted to the »Gürtler« (Brass Buckler’s) Guild. He remembered in 1823 the one decennium before made Analyzes; he posted his „Invention“ to the Jury, and won!

Henniger’s metallurgical competitor was Dr. Ernst August Geitner (1780-1852); a physician, who was not awarded, for reason of foreign nationality; to be not a Prussian, but from Saxony Kingdom.

For reason of above mentioned collision with rules of the guild, in 1824 Henniger founded then in Berlin a separate company for the production of articles, made from “nickel silver” (“German Silver”) alloy. In 1842 they were also the first factory in Central Europe, who have bought a license, and has used the Electro Plating Process, invented, and installed from Werner Siemens, and his younger brother, then a lad, Wilhelm Siemens. Wihelm invented a chemical composition of salts, for to get a smoother layer of silver deposition; that secret he has sale in 1843 to the Elkington’s (for 1,400 Pound Sterling, minus 120 for the “paperwork” — a before poor “New Rich” lad travelled back to his waiting elder brother). These two brethren remained life long very inventive. Werner and Wilhelm became later nobility. Werner von Siemens: an inventor of electro applications. Lord William Siemens: an inventor of steel melting, and many other thermo physical techniques.

The counter part competitor of Henniger, Dr. Ernst August Geitner, a physician, who was busy in dye material production, made research, to find a practical use of nickel, which then was waste by the dye production. He developed between 1822 and 1823 a Nickel silver alloy of 55 % cooper, 25 % zinc, and 20 % nickel. His rolling mill there fore he founded in Auerhammer, Saxony — his “nickel silver” alloy composition he baptized »Argentan«. One of his later clients was August Wellner, a furnish carpenter, and his family — 1854 founders of August Wellner Söhne; and later also of C. F. Hutschenreuter, Gowe …

Why I’ve just now described this to you — and other readers? Some times we are lucky, to have got some thing “precious” — and then, after research, “value” get’s down to a “normal” level. It shouldn’t tackle you to much — first, you’ve got experience, and second, you’ve got a »document« of history. Learning by doing - be happy!

Stand all punches with 15, or 14, or 13, or 12, or 11, or 10, and or 9 in German speaking area for »15 Lot« until »9 Lot«?

No; not always!

For to get now some more knowledge of numeral’s signification on Plated, please read this topic: http://www.925-1000.com/a_platenumbers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kind regards silverport
.

[dognose]

Dr. Geitner's Argentan-Fabrik - Saxony - 1896

Trev.