silver lined brass - SMP Silver Salon Forums

SM Publications

Silver Salon Forums - The premier site for discussing Silver.

SMP | Silver Salon Forums | SSF - Guidelines | SSF - FAQ | Silver Sales

The Silver Salon Forums
Since 1993
Over 11,793 threads & 64,769 posts !!

General Silver Forum

Silver Salon internal search
or

REGISTER (click here)

How to Post Photos

SMP Silver Salon Forums
tline

General Silver Forum
tline3

silver lined brass

profile | register | preferences | faq | search

SSFFriend: Email This Page to Someone!

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Author	Topic: silver lined brass
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 03-09-2006 02:30 PM Via E-mail Jan writes: quote: silver lined brass Date: Mar 9, 2006 3:34 PM If I've contacted the wrong site, forgive my intrusion on your time, but I didn't know where else to start. I have a friend wanting to buy a brass teaset. We found a nice one dating from the 1920s, with the horizontal bakelite handles that protrude horizontally, so we think it was truly meant for use, not display. Though bearing no hallmarks, it appears to be a set produced by a European maker rather than the Indian pieces made for display only. Our question is whether such a set would be made of a quality brass that would be safe for use with food products and not require a silverplate lining (which it does not have)? We've seen many decorative brass pieces say they may poison food, and assume they are inferior grades containing exposed lead, but we have also seen nice brass sets designed for use that come with silver linings. Do you happen to know anything about the need for silver plating on brass from "good", high-end manufacturers, or know to whom I could email to find out? Thanks you so much! Jan IP: Logged
FWG Posts: 845 Registered: Aug 2005	posted 03-09-2006 03:11 PM So far as I know the problem with brass itself isn't poisoning, but the imparting of an off taste (like what you get if you put a penny on your tongue). Silver lining prevents that, as does tinning (the reason that copper pans are tinned). I've seen and/or had brass and copper teapots and coffee pots from North Africa, the Middle East, and Russia, and relatively few have been tinned. I've never noticed a problem with them. Lead would never be used in a brass alloy, so far as I know, so it would only come into play in solder. Depending on design and construction, that may or may not be relevant -- solder may be only in places that wouldn't come into contact with foodstuffs. But I'd play it safe with anything where the solder may contact food; lead poisoning is a Very Bad Thing. IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 03-09-2006 06:29 PM Via email SM writes: quote: see: silver lined brass via email jan writes: quote: Thanks SO much. Your response is helpful and informative on several counts. Jan IP: Logged
middletom Posts: 467 Registered: May 2004	posted 03-09-2006 08:14 PM Just a note on lead in brass. I used to subscribe to a machinists magazine that at one time had an article on making a clock, written by an Englishman. He mentioned that leaded brass was the easiest to use, but said that in the U.S. very little brass is leaded because most brass here is made to be used in machine operations, not for hand working. Apparently, in England more of the brass is leaded and that may apply to the continent, also. IP: Logged
carlaz Posts: 239 Registered: Jan 2001	posted 03-10-2006 11:47 AM Just to offer an alternative to brass, Diralyte manufactured a solid "goldware" that is similar to brass. It is not a plated metal but a solid metal that can be polished in the same manner as sterling. The company manufactured a fair amount of hollowware in the pattern called Regal. It was very popular (and expensive at the time) during the 1950's. Every now and then, I run across an old advertisement showing a dining room display and this hollowware and flatware was represented. I believe that it was designed to completement the china patterns that had gold accents. It not only had coffee sets, but water goblets, wine goblets, etc. IP: Logged
Dale Posts: 2132 Registered: Nov 2002	posted 03-10-2006 10:16 PM What I have always understood about brass and bronze for food serving is that the problem is not so much with the metal but with the tarnish, the 'verdigis'. That this is something that happens inevitably to these metals, and frequently is not visible. But contact with food can cause quite nasty food poisoning. Which is why they are usually lined. The set you encountered may not be brass but a steel with gold tone. These do exist, but with a lack of marks I would be suspicious. Some were produced in the 70's and are rather dubious. I would second Carlaz's suggestion. Check out dirilyte, aka dirgold, on the internet. This is a solid bronze that somehow gets around the problems. And it is also somewhat handmade. Very nice, simple classical design. IP: Logged
agleopar Posts: 850 Registered: Jun 2004	posted 03-11-2006 07:55 AM I believe both brass and copper should be tinned or silver plated. There is little difference in the end result, which is to stop poisoning from the copper (brass has copper in it). The lining should be retinned or plated when it wears. IP: Logged

All times are ET	next newest topic \| next oldest topic
Administrative Options: Close Topic \| Archive/Move \| Delete Topic
	Hop to:

Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46a

^1. Public Silver Forums (open Free membership) - anyone with a valid e-mail address may register. Once you have received your Silver Salon Forum password, and then if you abide by the Silver Salon Forum Guidelines, you may start a thread or post a reply in the New Members' Forum. New Members who show a continued willingness to participate, to completely read and abide by the Guidelines will be allowed to post to the Member Public Forums.
Click here to Register for a Free password

^2. Private Silver Salon Forums (invitational or $ donation membership) - The Private Silver Salon Forums require registration and special authorization to view, search, start a thread or to post a reply. Special authorization can be obtained in one of several ways: by Invitation; Annual $ Donation; or via Special Limited Membership. For more details click here (under development).

^3. Administrative/Special Private Forums (special membership required) - These forums are reserved for special subjects or administrative discussion. These forums are not open to the public and require special authorization to view or post.

| Home | Order | The Guide to Evaluating Gold & Silver Objects | The Book of Silver