Antique and collectible history / Niello Powder Compacts

Origins & History Of Nielloware Antiques & Accessories

Origins & History Of Nielloware Antiques & Accessories

Traditionally these silver pieces were hand carved & the niello was created by baking 50% sulphur, copper, silver & lead which forms the black enamel like coating on this silver accessory. These materials would be heated to very high temperatures to form a coating for the silver. The items would then be engraved again. Nielloware was particularly popular in the 13th & 15th centuries but very few pieces from these times survive. The process to produce nielloware is quite demanding as you can imagine. Nielloware pieces are often made from high grade silver. Nielloware has a huge following. The history of this genre is particularly interesting as Siam niello tells a story of an epic adventure, The Ramayana.

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