The Moonlight Shimmers

Since antiquity, artists have been fascinated with the unique characteristics of silver. It shimmers as white as the moonlight, is harder than gold - with which it is often mentioned in one breath - and it has antiseptic qualities.

Small drinking bowls by Gisela Seibert-Philippen. Silver, gold plated

Group of containers/karafes by Jordan Rembrandt. Silver, glass, steel, cherry & ebony wood (tops)

Silver bowl on steel and silver saucers with pierced and etched renaissance detail by Miranda Meilleur

Eccentric pepper mill by Katja Höltermann. Silver, mounted, Peugeot mill work

Object 'Embrace' by Anna Lorenz. Silver, copper oxidized, slate

These unique characteristics of silver have fascinated people for around 8,000 years, as far as the earliest discoveries can tell. In many cultures, the precious metal is put in a context with the moon and its divinities. The Latin name Argentum is derived from the Greek legendary figure of the sky giant Argos. The god with the thousand eyes is the mythological personification of the starry sky. Due to its excellent material qualities, silver also still belongs to the most important precious metals for receptacle goods. The expandable, elastic but nonetheless stably formed material is perfectly suited for objects.

Of all metals, silver possesses the highest reflection capacity and therefore the warmest white shade of color. It reflects light to 98 percent. Its conductivity for electricity and heat is unsurpassed among the metals. Like gold, silver does not age, only its surface reacts with sulfur to form a black coating that is easily removed. The metal is practically never found chemically pure in nature. It is mostly mixed with other metals. Discoveries such as the silver table weighing 20 tons found in 1477 in the St. Georg mine near Schneeberg in the Ore Mountains in Germany are the exception. The so-called natural silver, as brought up in the silver mines, usually contains residual quantities of gold.

The proportion varies between one and forty percent; in the latter case this is natural white gold, as it was known in antiquity. Over two thirds of the global production of the white metal are waste products from nickel, copper and zinc mining. The most important silver production countries are Peru, Mexico, Australia, China and Chile - they account for more than half of the global mine production.

"Alles im Lot" (everything's OK) candlestick by Katharina Grötzner. Sterling silver, glass

Sterling silver bowl by Niltonn Alves Cunha

Silver cutlery by Micha Peteler

Seven vases by Josephine Lützel, sterling silver. Forged, bronze cast, mounted, patinated, limited edition, height: 90 mm - 230 mm

Even if it is harder than gold, silver can still only be worked into robust objects in alloys with other metals, mostly copper. Silversmith is an integrated professional denomination with goldsmith and jeweler (gold and silversmith and jeweler.) The term silversmith is usually understood to be a producer of vessels, so someone that mainly manufactures receptacles, sacral and profane articles. This is nowadays an extremely specialized trade. There are now few specialized silversmiths. The silversmith trade includes hammer work, smith work, assembly, casting, compression, pressing, stamping, embossing, galvanizing and difficult firing work. In terms of products, a distinction is made between flat work such as serving trays, plates, cups; receptacle work such as dishes, baskets, cans, vases, candelabras; can work, for example cases, cans, cassettes; cutlery work and small silver items, for example napkin rings, holders for combs.

Whereas table silver is increasingly falling in significance in everyday life, this area is finding more and more interest in object art. In 2004, the German couple Henriette and Martin Tomasi founded "Vessels - the Forum to Promote Contemporary Receptacle Art". In this, they want to draw attention to this segment and therefore strengthen the economic basis for the artists. The Tomasis have made a name for themselves with vessels and sculptures made of the finest silver strains and have already won numerous prizes.

Since 1968, the Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst e.V. and the German Goldsmith House Hanau (Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau) have jointly organized the Silver Triennale, with the aim of reinvigorating the significance and spread of the silversmith craft. In this, silversmiths, metal crafters and designers from all over the world are invited to submit tableware, free objects or cutlery made of silver to the competition. Last year, 147 artists from 19 nations took part in the 15^th Silver Triennale competition with over 200 pieces of work. 100 selected pieces are currently on show in The Hague, Netherlands.

Cast silver spoon by Miranda Meilleur

Espresso spoon by Corinna Loelgen. Silver, mounted, plastic

Teaset 'Sleeping Beauty' by Caroline Rügge. Sterling silver, coral, pate de verre, rose tree

The Dutch gallery Marzee in Nijmegen has also always gained respect for the promotion of modern silver object art. Another calling place for enthusiasts of silversmith work is Sterckshof Museum near Antwerp. Historical and modern pieces are exhibited here in the Silver Museum.

For the third time, the inhorgenta Europe in Munich organized a young talent forum for international silversmiths and a special prize for innovative silver design. The prize was won by the Brazilian Nilton Alves Cunha for his impressive bowls that are striking in their contrast between white and blackened silver. The works by the exhibitors at this silver forum reveal the whole wealth of contemporary design, from pure object art to practical art.

www.vessels.de

www.marzee.nl

www.inhorgenta.com