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The Beginning 3,0000 BC:
Silver jewelry was found in modern day burial excavations of the ancient Sumerian city of Ur. The first major sources of mined Silver were the mines around Anatolia, which is in the area of modern day Turkey and they originate from this time. The Chaldeans were the first culture to extract Silver from other ores around 2500 BC.
Source:
Native Silver is very rare. Therefore, most new Silver supplies rely on ores such as argentine, cerargyrite, and stephanite or it is obtained as a bi-product of lead zinc, copper and gold ores. Scientists estimate the world’s extractable resources of silver at current demand to be about 20 years of supply.
Silver:
A “white” precious metal that is extremely malleable and combines well with other metals. (Other “white” precious metals include platinum, palladium, and white gold).
The term applied to English silver, it refers to the minimum standard of fineness, i.e. 925 parts per 1000 pure silver. This standard was established by an ordinance in 1300 and has been legal since then, only replaced by the Britannia Standard during the period from 1697 to 1720.
The “925” is the international standard for sterling and means that the jewelry has at least a 92.5% fine silver content.
Sterling: Sterling silver is 92.5% Silver and 7.25% Copper. Sterling Silver is popular for use in Jewelry because of its characteristics of light color, strength and malleability. Usually marked “Sterling,” “925” “STR,” or “SS.”
Fine Silver: Commercially pure silver, 99.9% fine or higher, (in other words, it contains no alloy material).
Silverplate: Objects made of metals other than silver and coated with a layer of pure silver.
Silver: Can blacken when it is exposed to chemicals in hand creams, lotions, hair products, and colognes. Natural body cycles, which can raise the acid content in the skin, will sometimes cause temporary blackening. So can perspiration because of the salt content.
Cleaning: Most Silver can be cleaned with warm soapy water and a toothbrush and leave until dry. Then polishing with a soft treated cloth again. However, never use a cleaner that contains Ammonia, which will turn Silver black. Should this occur, Vinegar will reverse the effects of Ammonia. There are also commercial cleaners available but should be used with caution; always read the label.
Storage: Keep Silver away from light, air or dampness.
The text above was taken from Helen Cox's book "Silver Flatware.
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All About Silver
