Trying to determine where my question should be placed-
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 6:54 pm
Hello,
Would someone please tell me which location within this message board could ask about possibly dating and learning more about an unmarked samovar?
I purchased a samovar which falls into the style of the Georgian era from extant examples. The piece had been damaged and soldered together. I’m assuming at that time, it was determined the base needed to be weighted for balance.
Someone has completely soldered in the base of the samovar to make it stable.
The lid is only marked internally with a hand scribed jeweler’s mark ( I believe) which corresponds to a hand scribed number located on the base. There do not seem to be any markings on the lip of the lid.
I can see on the lid where it was a sheet of metal which was seamed during construction.
For this reason, the thickness of the lip on the lid, the fact the piece was restored, and the delicate reeding found on the spout and the extremely delicate balls on the lid top- along with a cursory magnet test makes me really consider the possibilities that this item may, indeed, be sterling.
The actual turning mechanism on the spout does not give the appearance of bone as there are no black specks. It seems to be carved and original to the piece. I do not see any lines on this material. My first thoughts were of a bakealite material - prior to looking much more closely at the other indicators which make me consider that this is, indeed, sterling and could have some considerable age.
Now that you have heard about the samovar, I don’t want to put it with photos into the incorrect category. Would someone please tell me where I could list this piece to hopefully get some insight into determining age, materials and if there’s any way possible to safely remove the added material to the base to possibly reveal makers marks.
Thank you.
Would someone please tell me which location within this message board could ask about possibly dating and learning more about an unmarked samovar?
I purchased a samovar which falls into the style of the Georgian era from extant examples. The piece had been damaged and soldered together. I’m assuming at that time, it was determined the base needed to be weighted for balance.
Someone has completely soldered in the base of the samovar to make it stable.
The lid is only marked internally with a hand scribed jeweler’s mark ( I believe) which corresponds to a hand scribed number located on the base. There do not seem to be any markings on the lip of the lid.
I can see on the lid where it was a sheet of metal which was seamed during construction.
For this reason, the thickness of the lip on the lid, the fact the piece was restored, and the delicate reeding found on the spout and the extremely delicate balls on the lid top- along with a cursory magnet test makes me really consider the possibilities that this item may, indeed, be sterling.
The actual turning mechanism on the spout does not give the appearance of bone as there are no black specks. It seems to be carved and original to the piece. I do not see any lines on this material. My first thoughts were of a bakealite material - prior to looking much more closely at the other indicators which make me consider that this is, indeed, sterling and could have some considerable age.
Now that you have heard about the samovar, I don’t want to put it with photos into the incorrect category. Would someone please tell me where I could list this piece to hopefully get some insight into determining age, materials and if there’s any way possible to safely remove the added material to the base to possibly reveal makers marks.
Thank you.