210:. Electroplating tends to produce a "brilliant" surface with a hard colour – as it consists of pure rather than sterling silver and is usually deposited more thinly. Sheffield plate continued to be used for up to a further 100 years for silver-plated articles subject to heavy wear, most commonly uniform buttons and tankards. During the 1840–1850 period, hybrid articles such as sugar bowls were produced, with the body being Old Sheffield Plate and complicated small parts such as the feet and handles made from electroplate. These are rare and seldom recognised. The Sheffield plating process is not often used today. During the Second World War, a process analogous to Sheffield plating was used to build
142:, and carried out further experiments in which he put a thin sheet of silver on a thick ingot of copper and heated the two together to fuse them. When the composite block was hammered or rolled to make it thinner, the two metals were reduced in thickness at similar rates. Using this method, Boulsover was able to make sheets of metal which had a thin layer of silver on the top surface and a thick layer of copper underneath. When this new material was used to make buttons, they looked and behaved like silver buttons but were a fraction of the cost.
30:
199:(60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc), around 1820, it was found that this new material also fused well with sheet silver and provided a suitable base metal for the Sheffield process. Because of its nearly silver colour, German silver also revealed less wear, or "bleeding", when Sheffield-made articles were subject to daily use and polishing. Being much harder than copper, it was used from the mid-1830s but only for articles such as trays or cylindrical items that did not require complex shaping.
109:
160:
copper although such pieces are very rare. Edges of early salvers were hidden by folding them over but from about 1790, borders were applied with U-shaped lengths of silver wire to conceal the copper which can often be felt as a lip on the underside. Towards the end of the period, solid wire was sometimes used which can be hard to see.
230:
dishes, are often in excellent condition and so may be confused with electroplate. Collectors should be aware that many designs have been reproduced in electroplate, with those from the early 1900s being the hardest to recognise since, like the original items, they seldom have a maker's mark. The way
159:
Double plating or sometimes the 'double sandwich' form of
Sheffield plate was developed around 1770. Used for pieces such as bowls and mugs that had a visible interior, it consisted of a sheet of silver each side of a piece of copper; early manufacturers applied a film of solder over the bare edge of
176:
was another important technique, involving coating a circular rod of copper with silver. This could then be 'drawn out' to produce not only circular wire but also various profiles, such as the arms of candelabra. Plated wire was used extensively for items such as cake baskets, but also for finishing
48:
The characteristic identifying feature of OSP is the 'bleeding' or 'show through' of the copper base, especially on points of wear although there is also a subtle difference in colour from the pure silver of electro plating to the "very faintly bluish lustre" of OSP. In addition to having a distinct
44:
which could be made into a range of items normally made in solid silver. The material rapidly gained popularity as a substitute for solid silver, as it was much cheaper to produce. Any object made in silver could in effect be made in Old
Sheffield Plate, although objects subject to heavy wear such
145:
The main centre for the trade was always
Sheffield, England, where there was already a substantial manufacturing industry for making small silver items such as buttons, cutlery and snuff boxes etc. Following Boulsover's discovery, the trade rapidly expanded particularly from the 1760s onwards. The
99:
The fact that silver and copper could fuse together was almost certainly well known to
Sheffield silver makers, as silver based solder (an amalgam of silver, copper and zinc) was widely used. Boulsover's discovery or invention was to find that sheets of silver and copper under high pressure would
275:, Shena Mason, Ed., 2009. Major work covering all Boulton’s activities. Chapter 5 by Kenneth Quickenden describes Boulton’s Silver and Sheffield Plate trade, as well as other references elsewhere in the text. Produced in association with the Matthew Boulton Bicentenary Exhibition.
231:
to recognise the genuine article is to look for signs that it was soldered from pre-plated metal sheet or wire rather than constructed in base metal and plated afterwards. Soldered joints, often well-disguised by the experts of the time, are also a hallmark of
Sheffield plate.
146:
other centre of production in
England became Birmingham, almost entirely through the efforts of Matthew Boulton. While Boulton's ormolu and solid silver products tend to attract most attention, his button and plated wares manufacturing were financially always more important.
91:'Old Sheffield Plate' with all three word capitalised is the accepted term in the antiques trade for this material. The expression 'Sheffield plate' and all variations thereof are generic terms which may apply to any product of silver appearance made in Sheffield, UK.
287:, Frederick Bradbury, 1912. Although published in the early 20th Century, Bradbury is still a valuable source of information, as he was the owner of a plate making company hence directly involved in the trade. Particularly valuable for the lists of OSP Makers Marks.
135:. When he examined the damaged handle, he noticed that the silver and copper had fused together very strongly. Experiments showed that the two metals behaved as one when he tried to reshape them, even though he could clearly see the two different layers.
263:, Gordon Crosskey, 2013. The most important volume to appear in many years, a thoroughly researched work with much detail on the main producers and numerous excellent colour illustrations. It stops at 1810, while the trade continued until the 1840s.
104:
alloy, then could be rolled out and shaped without the layers separating. The material could be rolled out to a thinness appropriate for the making of silver items. As far less silver was needed, the price of these items was far lower.
449:
History of Old
Sheffield Plate: Being an Account of the Origin, Growth, and Decay of the Industry, and of the Antique Silver and White Britannia Metal Trade, with Chronological Lists of Makers' Marks and Numerous Illustrations of
293:, 1988. Concise guide to OSP with numerous illustrations, authored by Anneke Bambery, a former Keeper of Applied Art at Sheffield City Museum which holds an extensive collection of OSP, including the Bradbury collection.
251:
ware consists of silver foil soldered onto a steel base and was used for items such as candle snuffers or cutlery requiring greater strength than fused plate. It was produced from the eighteenth to the twentieth century.
269:, T. W. Frost, 1971. An Antique Collectors’ Club price guide, prices out of date, but with a large number of illustrations and comment. The image quality of the printing is not of a high standard.
131:, in 1743, but this attribution is probably anecdotal. It was said that while trying to repair the handle of a customer's decorative knife, he heated it too much and the silver started to
226:
Much Old
Sheffield Plate seen today has been re-plated, especially items which received much use and polishing, such as candlesticks. Items seldom displayed or used, such as egg cruets or
281:, Stephen J. Helliwell, 1996. Large section on Old Sheffield Plate and also a similar length of description of Electroplate, with shorter notes on techniques such as Close Plating.
49:
bluish cast, the alloy produced in OSP is also harder than electrodeposited silver. The material remained popular until being replaced by the electroplate process in the 1840s.
636:
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the edges of items such as snuffer trays by creating U-shaped sections which could cover the bare copper edges. A further technique allowed
774:
172:
was used extensively for shaping the basic sheets of OSP and also for forming small parts such as feet and handles. The manufacture of
546:
518:
381:
119:, with the 'Orb' Maker's Mark of Blagden, Hodgson & Co. The inner sleeve allowed the height of the candle to be adjusted.
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40:(or OSP) is the name generally given to the material developed by Thomas Boulsover in the 1740s, a fusion of copper and
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672:
571:
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406:
128:
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OSP Pair of table salts, the interiors gilded to prevent corrosion. 'Bleeding' of the copper can be seen on the rims.
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is widely used by those dealing in electroplate produced in
Sheffield, and most collectors prefer to use the term
17:
802:
57:
731:
797:
285:
History of Old
Sheffield Plate, Being an Account of the Origin, Growth, and Decay of the Industry etc etc
750:
807:
792:
768:
637:
Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural, technical and historical developments. 1993. p.221.
589:
The Great Silver Manufactory: Matthew Boulton & the Birmingham Silversmiths 1760 - 1790
712:
8:
81:
541:. Birmingham, UK: Yale University Press & Birmingham City Council. pp. 41–46.
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was very common, again methods were developed to conceal the bare edges of the copper.
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The whole process of OSP manufacture was complex and involved a number of techniques.
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After about 1840 the Sheffield plate process was generally replaced with
61:
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667:. Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK: Shire Publications Ltd. p. 28.
227:
139:
652:. Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: Antique Collectors' Club. pp. 18–25.
616:(2nd ed.). Sheffield, UK: Treffrey Publishing. pp. 15–62.
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fuse together when heated to the melting point of the silver-copper
101:
69:
401:. Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: Antique Collectors' Club. p. 131.
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163:
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513:(2nd ed.). Sheffield, UK: Treffrey Publishing. p. 12.
355:
614:
Old Sheffield Plate, A History of the 18th Century Plated Trade
511:
Old Sheffield Plate, A History of the 18th Century Plated Trade
467:. Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK: Antique Collectors' Club. p. 1.
374:
Old Sheffield Plate: A History of the 18th Century Plated Trade
261:
Old Sheffield Plate, A History of the 18th Century Plated Trade
85:
53:
73:
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Boulsover set up in business, funded by Strelley Pegge of
123:
It is said that the material was accidentally invented by
376:(2nd ed.). Sheffield, England: Treffrey Publishing.
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as spoons and forks were not so satisfactory in plate.
690:"Book Review: 'Old Sheffield Plate' by Gordon Crosskey"
312:
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engines to overcome problems with thermal fracturing.
539:
Matthew Boulton: Selling what all the world desires
273:
Matthew Boulton, Selling what all the world desires
778:. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 824.
751:"Book Review: Old Sheffield Plate Shire Album 222"
784:
52:Items produced in Old Sheffield Plate included
255:
164:Die stamping, plated wire and other techniques
586:
221:
247:to identify the early fused plate product.
566:. London: Phaidon Press Ltd. p. 398.
532:
530:
367:
365:
396:
694:Journal of the Antique Metalware Society
611:
561:
508:
446:
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107:
28:
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587:Delieb, Eric; Roberts, Michael (1971).
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64:and other lighting devices, coffee and
14:
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687:
650:The Price Guide to Old Sheffield Plate
465:The Price Guide to Old Sheffield Plate
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350:. Praeger Publishers. pp. 39–42.
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267:The Price Guide to Old Sheffield Plate
647:
536:
462:
339:
748:
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665:Old Sheffield Plate: Shire Album 222
426:. London: B T Batsford. p. 15.
564:Ormolu: The work of Matthew Boulton
291:Old Sheffield Plate Shire Album 222
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399:Understanding Antique Silver Plate
279:Understanding Antique Silver Plate
25:
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452:. Macmillan and Company, limited.
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732:"Thomas Bradbury & Sons Ltd"
478:Charles, J A (1 December 1968).
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112:OSP 'Telescopic' candlesticks,
713:"Book Review: Matthew Boulton"
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397:Helliwell, Stephen J. (1996).
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84:and larger items such as soup
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447:Bradbury, Frederick (1912).
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562:Goodison, Nicholas (1974).
480:"The First Sheffield Plate"
422:Hughes, G. Bernard (1970).
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296:
256:Sources and further reading
206:processes, such as that of
195:Following the invention of
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648:Frost, T. W. (1971).
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612:Crosskey, Gordon (2013).
509:Crosskey, Gordon (2013).
372:Crosskey, Gordon (2013).
222:Replating and recognition
663:Bambery, Anneke (1988).
591:. London: Studio Vista.
346:Hughes, Bernard (1970).
775:Encyclopædia Britannica
769:"Sheffield Plate"
736:Hawley Sheffield Knives
424:Antique Sheffield Plate
183:edging to be created.
755:Antiques Trade Gazette
711:Clawley, Alan (2013).
348:Sheffield Silver Plate
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688:Turner, Eric (2012).
537:Mason, Shena (2009).
463:Frost, T. W. (1971).
111:
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803:History of Sheffield
88:and hot-water urns.
60:, serving utensils,
245:Old Sheffield Plate
38:Old Sheffield Plate
798:English inventions
216:Rolls-Royce Merlin
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548:978-0-300-14358-4
520:978-0-9568003-1-2
383:978-0-9568003-1-2
127:, of Sheffield's
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315:Mokume-gane
235:Terminology
174:plated wire
117: 1830
58:fish slices
787:Categories
333:References
150:Techniques
496:0003-598X
484:Antiquity
450:Specimens
239:The term
180:gadrooned
140:Beauchief
700:: 78–79.
356:72114296
297:See also
102:eutectic
82:pitchers
78:tankards
66:tea sets
327:Plating
228:soufflé
95:History
86:tureens
54:buttons
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74:trays
669:ISBN
618:ISBN
593:ISBN
568:ISBN
543:ISBN
515:ISBN
492:ISSN
428:ISBN
403:ISBN
378:ISBN
352:LCCN
214:for
133:melt
80:and
72:and
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