04-21-2012, 09:53 AM
I was reading Sim's new book Roman Imperial Armour and it appears that gilding was performed by mixing mercury with gold then the mercury is evaporated and the gold deposited. Futhermore, in this book, the technique of tinning is also discussed in that molten tin was used to coat objects by wiping not dipping.
However, when the discussion switched to silvering, it appears that the only way it was performed was by the application of a thin silver sheet over the object either iron or copper alloy. IMHO, I think that silver sheet or foil would have been used for iron objects where the deposition process as in tinning would not work because silver does not bond to iron in the way tin does.
However, in copper alloy objects, the deposition process would work well. Thus I think that in copper alloy objects silvering was done the same way as gilding. It is known that silver can dissolve in mercury just like gold and the mercury can be removed without disturbing the silver. As a matter of fact, I read that ores could have been mixed with mercury to extract gold and silver then evaporating the mercury, either of the two metals mentioned could be isolated.
I would be hard pressed to believe that only gold could be beaten into a sheet form and used to cover an object or alternatively use a mercury amalgam BUT silver was only used in sheet form.
Gold has a high melting point as does silver both of which are exceedingly higher that the boiling point of mercury.
The book seems to suggest that ANYTHING that was silvered had some sort of silver foil wrapped around it. Case in point the centurio helmet from former Yugoslavia. Another book that seems to support the same idea about silvering is B&C 2. In this book, as well, silver application is only regarded with respect to sheet or foil application.
Any thoughts, evidence, etc if ALL silvering was only with sheet or is there evidence to suggest an amalgam as used in the gold process.
However, when the discussion switched to silvering, it appears that the only way it was performed was by the application of a thin silver sheet over the object either iron or copper alloy. IMHO, I think that silver sheet or foil would have been used for iron objects where the deposition process as in tinning would not work because silver does not bond to iron in the way tin does.
However, in copper alloy objects, the deposition process would work well. Thus I think that in copper alloy objects silvering was done the same way as gilding. It is known that silver can dissolve in mercury just like gold and the mercury can be removed without disturbing the silver. As a matter of fact, I read that ores could have been mixed with mercury to extract gold and silver then evaporating the mercury, either of the two metals mentioned could be isolated.
I would be hard pressed to believe that only gold could be beaten into a sheet form and used to cover an object or alternatively use a mercury amalgam BUT silver was only used in sheet form.
Gold has a high melting point as does silver both of which are exceedingly higher that the boiling point of mercury.
The book seems to suggest that ANYTHING that was silvered had some sort of silver foil wrapped around it. Case in point the centurio helmet from former Yugoslavia. Another book that seems to support the same idea about silvering is B&C 2. In this book, as well, silver application is only regarded with respect to sheet or foil application.
Any thoughts, evidence, etc if ALL silvering was only with sheet or is there evidence to suggest an amalgam as used in the gold process.
"You have to laugh at life or else what are you going to laugh at?" (Joseph Rosen)
Paolo
Paolo
