Patina or Coloring?

Questions on polishing, restoration, conservation + manufacturing techniques
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Wet-Skunk
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:06 pm

Patina or Coloring?

Post by Wet-Skunk »

I'm currently collecting the Tuttle Silver Co., Onslow pattern sterling silverware. I've noticed on a few of the utensils, the scrolling has black in the groves, where some do not. Fresh out of the original factory plastic, they are black in the grooves. Is this a patina, or a color they add for contrast? Does the lack of the black in the grooves devaluate them? I noticed that on some, it comes off over time.

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JLDoggett
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Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:04 am
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Patina or Coloring?

Post by JLDoggett »

Many manufacturers oxidized the flatware blanks before stamping them. Usually this was done on patterns where they wanted the contrast as part of the pattern. I believe this is what you have.
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