Antiques and collectibles are made from many different materials. Items such as candlesticks or clocks, statues or figurines can be made from metals like brass, bronze or are made from plated base metals. Other items can be made from gold, or silver.
Obviously the value of an item is related to the material from which it is made. The question is, how do you tell?
The easiest way to tell is to just look at the item carefully. Anything made with precious metal from a reputable manufacturer will have a clear stamp (often called a hallmark or maker’s mark) indicating what materials were used to manufacture the item. Markings near the hallmarks should indicate what, if any, precious metals are used and what quality.
Sometimes items are cast from iron and plated with brass. A small magnet can tell you if there is iron in the item you are examining, or if it is a non-ferrous alloy.
Brass tends to be yellow and gold, whereas bronze is more a tone of brown. Brass is common in musical instruments, both brass and bronze is used a great deal in statuary, figurines and fixtures. Both of these metals are very durable, and the patina will have a green hue to them as they are alloys of copper. Any reddish rust is a dead giveaway for an object made of iron and plated with brass or another metal.
Silver, aluminum, pewter and tin will have a gray color, and will show patina over time. Some silvery items that are very shiny may be nickel plated, especially if they were meant to be used in harsh environments like on a boat.
Objects made of solid metals are going to tend to be more valuable than those that are plated. If you are looking for fine collectibles and antiques, or have an item you would like to sell, visit Jewels On Hampton to see our constantly updated inventory, or bring your item by.
Comments are closed