Lover birds on silver jewelry box!

[a.khaksari]

My last unfinished work on a silver jewelry box!
It's a persian design which called "Flower and Bird". I thought alot about the design, but after all this design suddenly came into my mind and I engraved it!
Now I'm thinking about the other sides!

 

[Willem Parel]

What a beautiful box Ali, I never knew gold inlay was possible in silver, absolutely stunning piece.

 

[a.khaksari]

Willem,
That's kind of you. It is difficult but not impossible
There are some ways to do this. For example using Mercury and also inlaying it into silver.

 

[Willem Parel]

Ah yes, the fire guilding, this method I know, thanks for the information.

 

[monk]

beautiful work, ali. i like how the tree not only supports the birds, but also frames them on top. quite nice !

 

[a.khaksari]

Thank you Monk, I wanted to use the tree as a frame to show the peace and tranquility of these birds' nest!

 

[lines]

The box and the ring are wonderful work. Which of the ways did you do the gold? And if mercury what do you use as a stop to keep the gold mercury amalgam from running all over the silver.

 

[Marrinan]

Mercury evaporates at a low temp. The gold is mixed or suspended in a very fine dust until the amalgam has the consistency of a stiff putty. It is then packed into the groves or engraved lines. Slowly heating will cause the mercury to evaporate leaving a deadly gas-I Mean Deadly Gas-floating around leaving only the gold behind. This gold is then burnished.
Many old texts in jewelry refer to this process in detail. Oppi Untracht goes into it in his treaties on "Jewelry Concepts and Technology"

The gas released by vaporization of mercury is deadly. Many old time prospectors lost their lives using mercury evaporation techniques to recover gold. Don't play with it until you fully understand the methods and risks -Fred

 

[a.khaksari]

Fred,
Thank you for your information. working with Mercury is so dangerous. As you said, in low temperatures it evaporate and leaves a deadly gas. In my work shop I always use suitable ventilators to avoid the gas!

 

[dlilazteca]

Thanks for the lesson! I guess this is one of those things I'll pay someone else to do

 

[Southern Custom]

Beautiful box. I always enjoy seeing your work Ali.
Layne

 

[a.khaksari]

Layne,
That's kind of you my friend

 

[Chujybear]

Inlay in sterling is doable. Just back the sterling up w shellac, or something similarly stiff.

 

[LVVP]

Ali,

You know, I love your work, thanks for showing