Postby oel » Fri May 24, 2013 4:23 am
Hi,
Most Hanau silversmiths were virtuoso silversmiths, who excelled in chasing and embossing in the manner of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Hanau workshops used old techniques and made hand raised silver but also used superior casting techniques and mouldings in the manner and style of the seventeenth century. During the 19th and early 20th century there was a high demand for antique silver. A good example are the simple silver cups on three ball feet, the three ball shaped feet keep the cup upright if placed on a rough uneven surface, like a wooden table made in the 17th century. The cups have been made through the ages and are still made today. It can be very difficult, even for an expert, to determine which cup is a genuine antique especially if the hallmarks are not clear or spurious.
Oel.