Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehérvár?

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AG2012
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Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehérvár?

Post by AG2012 »

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Rectangular silver box, embossed, with applied filigree, 3 x 2 inches. Carnelian gemstone. Minute globules of silver, twisted wire and narrow silver bands soldered on a metal surface.
The mark looks like Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehérvár, no maker`s mark (common in provincial Austro — Hungary). There is 13 loth purity and grid pattern; the only mark recorded resembling this is Székesfehérvár.Early 19th century.
This is high-end applied filigree work; even the bottom is elaborately made,rarely seen. The rule of thumb with filigree; the more solid silver, the better — more demanding soldering.


Granulated gold was known to Etruscans and their work is seldom matched. The problem is how to solder minute granules to gold or silver surface - they would melt when soldering. The mystery was solved by a British chemist as late as thirties,20th century. Granules were fixed to the surface with organic glue and then fired in a low oxygen environment in the furnace. Organic glue evaporates creating gasses reacting with gold and creating an alloy which melts at lower temperature, thus soldering granules to the surface and leaving granules undistorted.
Powdered solder is used with filigree; twisted wire and granules are arranged in desired pattern, powdered with solder and fired with mouth pipe burner. The process is quite simple with open filigree; soldering filigree work to silver is more demanding. Care must be taken not to overheat because the object, already assembled, would be damaged.
It was common children helped in making granules; silver or gold wire was cut into very short pieces and rubbed between two flat stones until perfect minute spheres were created.
huszas76
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehér

Post by huszas76 »

Dear AG2012,

I don't really think that this hallmark is from Székesfehérvár, i'm not even sure that it's hungarian at all (of course it's possible...). I have never seen any similar hungarian marks yet, but as I know the mark of Székesfehérvár (in the 19th century) always represents a gate with three towers. This is the way the handbook shows it (Kőszeghy: Magyarországi ötvösjegyek a középkortól 1867-ig), and my experiences tend to confirm this.

best regards: huszas76
AG2012
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehér

Post by AG2012 »

Dear huszas76
You are absolutely right about the mark;I have not seen it either.On the other hand,loth 13 is clearly seen, and this is important.We know where it was used.It is not Germany for sure.It was probably made somewhere within the Kingdom of Hungary,a vast country as you know (e.g.Banat,Transylvania).Small guilds are not well documented.By the way, was there a guild in Szabatka? The town was more important than most of the towns in south-east of the Hungarian kingdom.
Regards
huszas76
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehér

Post by huszas76 »

Dear AG2012,

I didn't say that it wasn't hungarian, but i wouldn't swear it was. :) But if it's hungarian, i would suggest that it is made by a silversmith who worked at home, made and used his own private hallmark (it was kind of usual - e.g. Keszthely, Győrsziget).
There were silversmiths at Szabadka as well, their hallmark is known -- it shows a shield, the top and bottom third is striped vertically, and the 13 loth mark is in the middle. We do know a silversmith by his name (it's not published yet anywhere), and another one by his monogram. They used a year lettermark, so we might assume they gathered together to make a guild, but it still needs research.
All this stuff can be told about lot of other cities too...

regards,
huszas76
AG2012
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehér

Post by AG2012 »

Your information is very valuable; I suspected silversmiths even made their own town marks, contrary to well organized guild rules in Habsburg Empire (even in small towns). This is interesting linguistic issue; they often used the word ``BROBMEISTER`` for assay master. Corrupted German word ``Probemeister`` or ``Probiermeister``.
huszas76
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehérvár?

Post by huszas76 »

Dear AG2012!
Do you have the original pictures?
I found a spoon, maybe similar mark, but I would like to be sure!
Best regards!
Krisztián
AG2012
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Re: Box with applied filigree - Stuhlweißenburg, Székesfehérvár?

Post by AG2012 »

Hi,
I am not sure where it was.
If you post the images of your mark I could try to identify where they were.
Regards
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