Silver: The Smithsonian Illustrated Library of Antiques

The story of silver antiques starts with the seventeenth century, which is noted for its magnificent pieces with lavish naturalistic and floral ornamentation in the baroque style. Examples from this period and the centuries that follow are among the most valuable and versatile of collectibles: old, beautiful and rare, they can be employed even now in domestic surroundings. The author then follows the history of silver art through the eighteenth (touching on Paul Revere, America's most famous silversmith) , nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. A chapter on the working of silver - illustrated with specially chosen detail photographs - and one on collecting, a glossary of special terms, a list of further reading and a guide to public collections of silver all combine to extend the usefulness of this concise work.