Silver leaf?

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Uncle Timbo

Uncle Timbo

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I have a question for you craftsmen and women. I inherited, from my father, some old silver leaf. Stamped, "Made in Germany" . Dad was a sign painter, did most of it freehand. He also did silver and gold leaf. I never got any gold leaf but I did get a few "books" of silver leaf. This stuff is so old that some of it is developing a patina.

Having said all of that, does silver leaf have any value to a knifemaker?
 
Not really. It is for silvering picture frames, repairing mirrors, or for doing the lettering on glass doors.
 
I wonder what 'silver ' is it pure , sterling etc. The newer 'Argentium 'sterling is much more corrosion resistant
 
I'm told this stuff goes for $60. a book because they evidently don't make it like this anymore or it's it's age?. That's what the craft lady at Dick Blick's told me. The fact that it has the patina makes it sought after for crafters.
 
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Yes, those "books" ( packs of 20 or more leaves of metal between tissue paper) are popular with restorers because they math the old stuff. Modern "silver leaf" is usually white brass or aluminum. I have books of palladium leaf use for non-tarnish tasks. Gold leaf can be anything from brass to pure gold. Most high quality gold leaf is 20K.

I have no idea what the current market value of an old book of sterling silver leaf is going for, but you will often hear people referring to similar old things saying, "That is easily worth $100"; and when you offer it to them for $50 they say, "Oh, I wouldn't pay you more than $20 for it."
 
Thanks Bladsmth. I've had it since 1994 and I'm in absolutely no hurry to part with it. I have it in the cigar boxes that Dad had it in. :)
 
Real antique silver is never without value but there are a few details which you will need. The first thing you will want to do is to clean the silver thoroughly so that you can more easily read back stamps and markings.
 
Necropost by a new person who didn't even read the thread. This was about silver leaf ... no silver pieces.Thread closed.
 
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