Entertaining with THE CHARLESTON SILVER LADY

The small dot central to the bottom of many 18th century silver pieces gave the early silver smith a gauge to work from to be sure the object would be “true,” or exactly straight.

This small indented dot is one of the sure ways to know if the piece before you is indeed “real.”  It is the last thing a forgery will have incorporated into an object as it seems insignificant and almost a flaw.  

This is but one of many ways to look beyond marks and other distinctions that are largely accepted by most collectors.

I love to look at silver from the perspective of these early crafters. The trail of development as an object evolved from ore is fascinating.

I have a small, metal spike that looks much like a protractor. It was given to me by a silversmith who worked for Gorham. This spike was used to make the dot that indicated the trail of construction that was necessary in the 18th century.

The use of this point of origin ceased to exist around 1830, made obsolete by the coming modern world.

My 8th century silver bowl has the central dot as well as a lightly scored pattern of a grid all over the underneath. It is clear this was a method of assuring the upright, balanced nature of what must have been a very difficult object to construct. The dot is very small. I am so pleased the grid was not obliterated in the polishing process, surely an oversight. The grid is the sole reason I bought the bowl.

I am so pleased to know where it began, where it came from and the unique pattern of development that gave it life. It is perfect in it’s imperfection.