 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| ABOUT STERLING SILVER JEWELRY |
Silver is an element, Ag, whose natural form is an extremely soft, white metal. To give silver hardness and strength,
copper is usually added. Sterling silver is an alloy (mixture) of 92.5 per cent silver and 7.5 per cent copper. Silver plate is
an object made of a base metal, such as steel, that is coated with a thin layer of silver or silver alloy. Silver, along with
gold and copper, have been used for thousands of years for coins, jewelry and many decorative and useful objects.
Mexico leads the world in the production of silver. Sterling silver from Mexico is always stamped ".925" (or higher). The
stamp often also bears a mark to identify the city where the jewelry was made. All of the jewelry we sell is hand-wrought in
Taxco - a mountainside city in the state of Guerrero that used to produce most of Mexico's silver. However, at present the
silver mines of Taxco are closed and most of the silver used by the thousands of skilled artisans in Taxco comes from two
other silver cities - Aguascalientes and Zacatecas.
Silver reflects 95% of the light that strikes it, making it the most lustrous of the metals. It is second only to gold in ductility
(the ability to be drawn into fine wires) and malleability (the ability to be hammered into various shapes).
The value of silver and gold is based on weight - the heavier the piece, the higher the price. The degree of workmanship
required to craft a piece is also a factor in its price. In the past year and a half, the price of silver has risen dramatically.
Silver, like gold, does not react chemically with most substances. However, the presence of sulfur compounds causes
silver to develop a black or gray coating called tarnish. Because polluted air contains these compounds, silver tarnishing
is a greater problem today than in the past. The most common reaction that I have observed in Mexican silver is a slight
yellowing from exposure to air ( which does not occur as often if the silver is worn) and can easily be remedied by wiping it
with a jewelry cleaning cloth or any soft cloth to restore its natural lustre. If the silver is worn when one is perspiring,
however, the silver will become black because silver and the salt from perspiration cause a chemical reaction. Silver will
also turn black if exposed to many cleaning products - especially if they contain chlorine.
Tarnished sterling silver can easily be restored to its natural whiteness and brightness by cleaning it with a good silver
polish - pastes, creams and liquids all work well. The one I particularly like and recommend is a biodegradable,
professional tarnish remover for silver, gold, and other metals which is distributed by Sunshine Products.
copper is usually added. Sterling silver is an alloy (mixture) of 92.5 per cent silver and 7.5 per cent copper. Silver plate is
an object made of a base metal, such as steel, that is coated with a thin layer of silver or silver alloy. Silver, along with
gold and copper, have been used for thousands of years for coins, jewelry and many decorative and useful objects.
Mexico leads the world in the production of silver. Sterling silver from Mexico is always stamped ".925" (or higher). The
stamp often also bears a mark to identify the city where the jewelry was made. All of the jewelry we sell is hand-wrought in
Taxco - a mountainside city in the state of Guerrero that used to produce most of Mexico's silver. However, at present the
silver mines of Taxco are closed and most of the silver used by the thousands of skilled artisans in Taxco comes from two
other silver cities - Aguascalientes and Zacatecas.
Silver reflects 95% of the light that strikes it, making it the most lustrous of the metals. It is second only to gold in ductility
(the ability to be drawn into fine wires) and malleability (the ability to be hammered into various shapes).
The value of silver and gold is based on weight - the heavier the piece, the higher the price. The degree of workmanship
required to craft a piece is also a factor in its price. In the past year and a half, the price of silver has risen dramatically.
Silver, like gold, does not react chemically with most substances. However, the presence of sulfur compounds causes
silver to develop a black or gray coating called tarnish. Because polluted air contains these compounds, silver tarnishing
is a greater problem today than in the past. The most common reaction that I have observed in Mexican silver is a slight
yellowing from exposure to air ( which does not occur as often if the silver is worn) and can easily be remedied by wiping it
with a jewelry cleaning cloth or any soft cloth to restore its natural lustre. If the silver is worn when one is perspiring,
however, the silver will become black because silver and the salt from perspiration cause a chemical reaction. Silver will
also turn black if exposed to many cleaning products - especially if they contain chlorine.
Tarnished sterling silver can easily be restored to its natural whiteness and brightness by cleaning it with a good silver
polish - pastes, creams and liquids all work well. The one I particularly like and recommend is a biodegradable,
professional tarnish remover for silver, gold, and other metals which is distributed by Sunshine Products.
| This excellent product is available from: SUNSHINE PRODUCTS William and Kathleen Short PO Box 53144 Pettisville, OH 43553-0144 Toll Free Tel: 866-446-2658 Fax: 419-446-2656 email: wkshort@sunshine101.com www.sunshine101.com |
William Spratling (1900-1967) - the "Father of the Mexican Silver Industry"
William Spratling was born in Sonyea, NY in 1900. He graduated from Auburn University in Alabama in 1921 and became
a professor of architecture at Tulane University in New Orleans. He was a gifted artist, designer and writer. He spent
summers in Mexico, and in 1929 he permanently relocated to a small, remote mountain community - Taxco. Spratling's life
was intertwined with many notables, including William Faulkner with whom he roomed in New Orleans, Sherwood
Anderson, Diego Rivera, Dwight and Elizabeth Morrow (parents of Anne Morrow Lindbergh), and many, many others.
Spratling used his many talents to develop a profitable business for himself and for thousands of indigenous Mexicans in
and around Taxco to whom he taught the skills of silversmithing and the essence of design - often incorporating lines and
symbols from Mexican antiquities into stunning pieces of jewelry and objets d' art. Many of the Mexican men, women, and
boys whom he taught have become world-reknowned designers such as Antonio Castillo and his daughter, Emiliana
Castillo whose decorative objects are currently available exclusively from Nieman Marcus.
Jewelry that bears the "hallmark" of one of the old Mexican silver designers from Taxco is highly collectible. A wonderful
reference book which includes photos of hallmarks and some approximate values is Mexican Silver by Penny Chittim
Morrill and Carole A. Berk, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., c. 1994; ISBN: 0-7643-0663-4.
Spratling died early in the morning August 7, 1967 when he swerved to avoid a fallen tree on his way to Iguala and
Mexico City and crashed into a tree beside the road. He is still admired and remembered in Taxco as the "Founder of the
Silver Industry".
William Spratling was born in Sonyea, NY in 1900. He graduated from Auburn University in Alabama in 1921 and became
a professor of architecture at Tulane University in New Orleans. He was a gifted artist, designer and writer. He spent
summers in Mexico, and in 1929 he permanently relocated to a small, remote mountain community - Taxco. Spratling's life
was intertwined with many notables, including William Faulkner with whom he roomed in New Orleans, Sherwood
Anderson, Diego Rivera, Dwight and Elizabeth Morrow (parents of Anne Morrow Lindbergh), and many, many others.
Spratling used his many talents to develop a profitable business for himself and for thousands of indigenous Mexicans in
and around Taxco to whom he taught the skills of silversmithing and the essence of design - often incorporating lines and
symbols from Mexican antiquities into stunning pieces of jewelry and objets d' art. Many of the Mexican men, women, and
boys whom he taught have become world-reknowned designers such as Antonio Castillo and his daughter, Emiliana
Castillo whose decorative objects are currently available exclusively from Nieman Marcus.
Jewelry that bears the "hallmark" of one of the old Mexican silver designers from Taxco is highly collectible. A wonderful
reference book which includes photos of hallmarks and some approximate values is Mexican Silver by Penny Chittim
Morrill and Carole A. Berk, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., c. 1994; ISBN: 0-7643-0663-4.
Spratling died early in the morning August 7, 1967 when he swerved to avoid a fallen tree on his way to Iguala and
Mexico City and crashed into a tree beside the road. He is still admired and remembered in Taxco as the "Founder of the
Silver Industry".