Page 52 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

THE DOUBLE-SKIN SILVER MAKING TECHNIQUE

The double-skin silver making
technique was adopted in the
earliest of Chinese silver
making that was specifically
made for the West.

The technique proved ideal in
so many ways since it allowed
the widespread use of intricate
repoussé decorative motifs. It is
probably most seen in the
Chinese silver tankards that
began to be produced in the
late 18th century and continued
to the end of the for Chinese
Export Silver manufacturing
period. It was also used in
many of the trophy silver that
was so popular in both Hong
Kong and Shanghai after the
1842 Treaty of Nanking when
many clubs evolved and
became a symbol of the
“internationalism” of the treaty
ports and the British colony.

Chinese Export Silver is almost
always heavier than Western
counterpart silver objects.
Contrary to European and
American silversmiths who
were forced to watch carefully
the weight of items they produced because of the cost, Chinese silversmiths never really
had even the slightest thought on their radars. The addition of a double skin made some
Chinese silver items incredibly heavy.

Double-skinning is simple to recognise. If an item of silver has a repoussé decorative motif
and the interior of the item is smooth, then a double skin has been employed. The
inclusion of a double skin will often indicate the item is high quality; the technique requires
a very particular skill to successfully incorporate it. Quality double-skinning is akin to good
wig making - it is imperative not to see the join!