Joined: Tue May 28, 2013 9:44 pm Posts: 711 Location: Las Vegas
I have had this silver cup for 10 years and have never found out anything about it. I have a book of makers marks but could not find them in it. The workmanship is exceptional in it's detail, i guess it's the reason i have kept hold of it so long. With this post i am including the best photo's i can, please forgive them if they are not adequate. I am suspecting pre-war Japanese, what do you all think?
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Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
Actually, I believe the KMS is Chinese not Japanese.
KMS stands for Kwong Man Shing, who was making and selling in Hong Kong in the late 19th and early 20th Century. As far as the kanji, it is used in both China and Japan.
The Meiji silver done contemporaneously in Japan usually had a different motif, more, reminiscent of Japanese nature inspired water colors: Here is an example of Japanese Meiji:
Also, be aware that these turn of the century pieces were fashioned out of solid silver, not sterling. It has also been my experience that polishing the pieces with a product like Wright's Silver Cream, does not decrease value in any way.
I agree, patina gives a lot more character to antiques. Also, removing patina might actually decrease the commercial value of the object (for instance, the patina of antique coins should never be cleaned off!)
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm Posts: 21602 Location: San Francisco
One has to properly know how to clean silver holloware. Never use a dip! The purpose is not to remove the patina, but to enhance the relief by highlighting the raised areas. My Meiji sugar bowl:
Also, the Meiji iris cup I pictured above is properly polished.
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