hallmarking and enamel

[marna]

Hi there! Does anyone know how you go about getting enamelled silver hallmarked? I have a couple of questions and googling isn't helping me - there's too much information about spotting fake art deco enamel and nothing I can find about this.

I presume it needs to be sent off before the enamel is fired?

If it does, how does that work with cloisonné - do the silver wires need to go along too?

What happens if the stamp is put on the enamelled-to-be area?

Thank you!

[SteveLAO]

Depends really on what you are enameling on to? Will the entire piece be enameled all over? We can always laser on the back if the enamel is on the front for example, or if it's a pendant then we can enamel on the pendant loop.
The other question of course is what metal you are enameling onto? Some enamel is applied onto gilding metal or other non precious metal, which will of course affect the chances of getting a hallmark.
Maybe you could post a pic of the item, or give me a description of the piece?

[marna]

Super-quick reply! Thank you!

Item one is a pendant - a disk of silver with a hole for a jumpring, and with enamel and silver wire right to the edge of the disk.

Item two is a bracelet made of several smaller enamelled/ cloisonnéd disks, each drilled twice and linked with connectors.

Both use fine silver for the enamelled surfaces and the cloisonne wire, although I think the connectors will be made out of sterling - fine silver will be too soft there.

All the disks will be counter-enamelled - with a similar design of cloisonné on both sides. (colours will be different but that's irrelevant here....)

[marna]

Here is (hopefully) a clearer picture of what I mean.

[SteveLAO]

Our difficulty really is in testing the metal underneath the enamel. I think as it looks like the items are pretty much going to be enameled all over then I would probably recommend with the bracelet, that you add a hallmark tag and we will hallmark on that. For the pendant, we would probably look at marking on the pendant loop.
Would it be possible to send the items in before enameling?

[caroleallen]

Does it also depend on whether the piece is counter-enamelled. Presumably if it's not and you can test the back of the piece, you could laser mark it? I must admit that I normally hallmark before enamelling.

[marna]

All the enamelled pieces will be counter-enamelled, so marking on the back isn't an option, I'm afraid.

Sending them in prior to enamelling is fine - they'll be in pieces still, but I think that is ok?

Thanks!

[SteveLAO]

Yes it's fine to send it in in pieces as long as ALL the component parts are there, and it's also helpful if you attach a quick line drawing to indicate how it all assembles and what areas will be enameled.

What we need to test is the metal under the enamel, which may or may not be the "other side" of the back of the item, if you see what I mean? We've had cases of enameled copper set into a silver enclosed setting, so it looks like from the outside as though the enamel is on silver, whereas it's actually on copper and then enclosed in silver!

[marna]

Thanks, Steve, you are incredibly helpful!

One last (and I think this one is definitely stupid) question; if sending something in pieces, should the package include the cloisonné wire and the solder that will be used?

[SteveLAO]

yes please, send us in all things metallic!