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posted 11-19-2007 12:45 AM            

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While researching skull jewelry, I happened upon a site with quite a few skull items. Going back to it recently, I discovered they also sold flatware. There are two patterns: Firefly and Wyverex Dragon.

Firefly is a high style Art Nouveau pattern. It is made of stainless steel and pewter with enameling. Vyverex Dragon is pewter and steel that has been silverplated.

The company claims these are made in England. There is a surprising amount of tableware as well as Wiccan Liturgical items and Gothic decor items. Most is either highly polished pewter or something called 'cold cast resin' which is combined with 'metal' and given a 'silver finish'. No clue what that means. And none as to how this would relate to our efforts here. Silver in now a 'finish'?

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posted 11-19-2007 12:46 AM            

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First the Wyverex Dragon:

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posted 11-19-2007 12:48 AM            

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Now the Firefly, which I find really interesting.

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posted 11-19-2007 12:52 AM            

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To give an idea of the design qualities, here are some goblets and tankards.

First a spider goblet:

Then a bats goblet:

And a firefly one to go with the flatware:

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posted 11-19-2007 10:10 AM            

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"Cold cast resin" = plastic. It's the same process the museum replicas companies use for copies of pieces in stone, ivory, bronze, etc. They mix in finely ground hard matter to impart a 'quality' of the original material (and add to the heft), so it's not just a surface finish. I suppose it's even possible the amount of metal added to the plastic might make it possible to plate silver onto a piece, but I'd be a bit surprised. My guess instead would be that they include a good amount of fine (size) white-metal particles, and then polish the surface.

In Canada the same process is used to replicate argillite in copies of NWC carvings, and in Hawaii "Coco Joe" was doing it with lava at least as early as the mid-'60s. Stone-cutters have used the same process for decades (at least) to fill in cavities and flaws in stones like turquoise; I once did this with a broken stone, using graphite mixed with epoxy to mend the piece with a vein that matched the others in the stone.

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posted 11-19-2007 11:29 AM            

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Looks like the designer of "Firefly" had some inspiration from Rene Lalique's famous (and creepy) Dragonfly Woman corsage ornament.

Rene Lalique, Dragonfly woman corsage ornament, 1897 - 1898

~Cheryl

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posted 11-19-2007 11:33 PM            

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Here is the site's discussion of the flatware:

quote:

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"Based upon some principle Art Nouveau design ideas of Rene Lalique and Georges Fouquet, this elegant, grotesque and tantalisingly enamelled, pewter-handled, Sheffield steel cutlery set will mesmerise and intrigue any table guest. A 16-piece, four place setting set cutlery, consisting of four each of knife, fork and spoon and teaspoon. Supplied in a sumptuous black wood veneer storage case, trimmed with cast pewter fittings."

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posted 11-19-2007 11:38 PM            

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Here is something with a silver finish:

And two bronze finish items:

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posted 11-21-2007 08:04 PM            

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Dale:

I found a Web site ([snip]) that sells the Wyverex Dragon flatware, but have not been able to find one that offers the Firefly. Can you please identify the site you found? Thanks.

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posted 11-21-2007 08:25 PM            

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Intersting stuff. Are there any identifying marks on it or will people start applying acid tests down the line to see if there is any silver content? This will be an interesting thread for posterity.

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posted 11-22-2007 12:50 AM            

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Well June, I have no idea how and even if they mark things. The site does not say. It is like most of the contemporary production places I find: they have no interest in the things that so fascinate us. Nothing about marks or makers or even silver content. Just 'finish', 'tone' and 'look.

William, this is a commercial site, devoted to selling things. So under the forum rules, I can not post a link. It is a fascinating site. They offer a range of things I thought were no longer made: cane handles, hair ornaments, flasks, belt buckles. In short it looks like a circa 1890 silver company's catalog. Over the weekend I will post more offerings. The range is stunning and the designs are in the Tufts level of whimsey.

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