52g Suhai Large BUTTERFLY Chinese 3" STERLING SILVER Figurine Jade Signed J. Lee

Description

Vintage Handmade Suhai Large Butterfly and Plant on Jade Base Chinese Sterling Silver Export Statue Enamel
USA seller. Actual item shown. Shipping to the USA only.
When it comes to Chinese sterling silver enamel figurines, no company is held in higher esteem by collectors than Suhai. This gorgeous Suhai figurine is a detailed butterfly and plant on a jade base. It says "Suhai" and "
J. Lee
" (the artist) on the jade.
Height is 3", width is 1.5”, length is 2.25", and weight of 52 grams.
Minor enamel loss may be present in some areas. Please see photos before bidding.
This listing is for one figurine only. The final photo or photos show some of the other silver figurines that are being sold or have recently sold.
During 2020, I will be listing a huge collection of vintage and antique sterling silver figurines from all over the world, especially from nations like USA, China, India, and Mexico.
All of my listing photos, text and research are copyrighted. Copying is prohibited without permission of the seller.
About this item: China has a long tradition of creating beautiful objects covered in cloisonné and other forms of enamel work. During the 19
th
and 20
th
centuries, much of this had a silver base of at least 90% silver. Tourists loved these delicate beautiful realistic birds and animals that had been made with silver, enamel, and filigree silver. These figurines, boxes, and other objects are sometimes called Chinese Export Silver.
With the price of silver and labor always going up, the most modern of these figurines are often made of gold-plated and enameled base metals like copper and brass. The vintage and antique silver versions only become more and more scarce.
Silver Content: These silver enamel figurines are made from coin silver (90%) or sterling silver (92.5%) but are not always marked as such. Sometimes, you will find the word “SILVER” stamped into the design in an out of the way spot. For example, on birds, the word may be found on the underside of the tail feathers, if it is there at all. When these figurines were sold in pairs, sometimes only one of the two was marked.
About condition: The photos are taken from every angle to show you the wear on each figure. A small amount of enamel loss is to be expected, especially since most of these were made decades ago. Since enamel loss is common, it does not detract from value unless it is extreme enough to detract from the beauty of the item.
Caring for silver figurines: Typically, all you have to do is dust the figurine occasionally. Any un-enameled silver or silver that has been revealed by enamel loss is subject to toning over time. You can slow or stop this natural darkening process, if desired, by displaying your figurines in a clear display case or box that limits air circulation.
What is vermeil?
Vermeil (ver-MAY) is not the same thing at all as gold-filled or gold-plated. It is a layer of gold permanently fused to solid sterling silver,
precious metal on precious metal
. It will be stamped 925 for sterling. Also called gilded silver or gilt, it is a durable product that can be worn daily and passed on to the next generation. The gold won’t rub off or flake off.
Gold-filled (GF) and gold-plated (GP) is a plating of gold on a
base metal
, like copper. The former is more durable than the latter, but vermeil is much better than both.
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