What is german Hanau silver?
A large amount of Hanau silver was made to be exported (mostly to England and America), being further hallmarked with sterling silver marks, proving that the silver content is often 925 sterling, therefore higher than the standard required by the German law.
Is german silver marked?
Since 1888 Germany uses uniform marks for silver and gold. These marks are the “Crescent and crown” (Halbmond und Reichskrone) for silver and the “Sun and Crown” (Sonne und Reichskrone) for gold. In addition the fine content and maker’s marks are used.
What is German silver worth?
German silver is an alloy composed of nickel, copper, and zinc. It contains no silver and has a value of approximately 50 cents per ounce.
Does German silver get black?
Hence, it does not tarnish as easily as other types of silver do. It will tarnish when exposed to moisture for a certain period of time. But in general, it is highly resistant to tarnish and is therefore easy to clean and maintain.
Can German silver be washed?
Wash the item in warm water and mild dish soap to remove dirt, dust and oils. Rinse it well, and then gently blot the water from the item’s surface with a soft, static-free, lint-free drying cloth.
How can you tell the difference between silver and German Silver?
German silver and sterling silver may be the same color and have a similar shine and gleam, but that doesn’t make them the same. The difference lies in content. Sterling silver contains 92.5 percent pure silver, while German silver contains no silver at all.
Where are the hallmarks of Hanau silver found?
Pseudo-hallmarks of English silver are unusual for Hanau makers, but this mark was found on a silver bottle in typical Hanau style Hanau silver was largely imported in UK between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
Is it legal to use reproduction silver in Hanau?
Generally speaking, the recognition of reproduction silver does not present a problem since it is marked according to the laws of the country of origin. Contrary to this, the antique silver industry of Hanau chose to mark its output with fantasy marks. It is difficult to say if this was practiced with a clear intent to deceive.
What was the history of the city Hanau?
But Hanau had a long tradition as a free-trade city. With the production of “antique silver”, Hanau found a market niche, which brought its silver manufacturers enormous prosperity and worldwide reputation.
Are there any real antique objects in Hanau?
Hanau makers never claimed to produce “genuine old objects”, they mostly referred to them as copies “in the antique style” (“im antiken Genre”). But Hanau makers cared little about what the many antique dealers, selling those objects, said about these objects.
