The German silver is alloy of various metals. It does not contain silver and found wide commercial use as inexpensive material, since 1800th years. It is also often used as structural material for finishing and the medical equipment. Other widespread name for a German silver – new silver.
Alloy components
The German silver is a general name for any alloy which has color of silver. It usually consists of copper and nickel and can include or not include a small share of zinc. Less often alloy can consist of tin, cadmium, antimony or lead. The American nickel coin of 5 cents introduced into circulation in 1866 consists of 75 percent of copper and 25 percent of nickel which gives it the appearance similar to silver.
History
The German silver was for the first time open in the Far East at the beginning of the 18th century. Then products from this material began to manufacture in India and China. The European dealers with big hunting bought such goods then to resell them in the homeland. New silver was ideal alloy for use in the course of galvanization, thanks to its qualities of durability, ease in processing and to silvery color. The structure was very stable and inexpensive. Therefore it was also applied to drawing a thin brilliant layer on various surfaces. It protected details from premature oxidation and damage.
New silver and ware
The German silver is often used as an inexpensive alternative to sterling silver in production of household tableware. Nevertheless, it was revealed that new silver tarnishes and becomes covered by small black specks at long use. However with the advent of a galvanics the majority of tableware began to make by this technique.
German silver in the jewelry industry
The German silver is also widely used as base metal for inexpensive gilding and silvering of jewelry. However products on the basis of nickel often cause allergic reaction at long contact with skin. Because of it some countries created the directive which limits use of nickel in jewelry.
German silver in architecture
The German silver also began to be used widely during blossoming of architecture in style of art deco of the beginning of the XX century. It gained popularity around the world after the Parisian exhibition in 1925. Stylization of forms of geometrical straight lines characterizes this style as well as possible. Many buildings in the capitals of the countries are built in this style. Broad application of ornaments with a covering from a German silver in internal and external finishing is also characteristic of them. In the United States of America many buildings are built in this style. It is interesting to note that by art deco it did not begin to be applied widely in the European architecture.