The Coolidge examiner., 1934-07-13

Europe. especially spain. ore vls-
itor 10 the Spanish capital ia the
Sixteenth ceutury observed: "Uien.
sis % common metal are not en-
piuycd here. only those % silver
or ~ ware Upon the death
of ihe Duke of Albuquerque. SIX
weeks were needed 10 make lnyen-
sory og bis gold and silver scrv.
Ices
Nearly a century before the Rcyo-
luton. pioneer New England SILVER
smiths were busy az their benches
Among this group was William Moul-
ton. OF Newburyport Mass Pieces
dcs sued by him are among silver
treasures shown 10 the Metropolitan
Museum of Art In New York
once New buryp0rt rang with the
sound % hammer and saw, aud ships
built there carried Colonial wares
TO the ends of the earth. bringing
back coins which It's sllversmi,hs
melted for use In their art. This
was known as coin silver" timer
ant artisans worked even Into our
Far West until well past the 1905
making knives. forks and spoons
from silver dollars
Colonial silvsrsmiths.
Newburypori. however. Is unique
Tor It's continuity In sllverwork since
ies1 one family. the Moaltons.
made sterling through six genera
tions. the fourth being competitors
OF Paul Revere.
when the last OF the Monltons
laid down bis tools. some years be-
fore our Civil war. an apprentice,
Anthony Towle. was among those
who carried on the ancient tradl-
tlous of the craft. and today the
pioneer factory bears bis name.
Colonial sllyersmiihs fourished
In spite of such Puritan sentiments
as John Adams expressed In let
ter 20 his wife: III | had power
would forever banlsh from America
all gold. silver. silk. velvet and
lace"
In Boston. before 1870. more than
80 names OF s!lyersmlths are
recorded. and It's rich merchants
bought much costly siiyerware. Brit
ish officers stationed In New York
before the Revolution were aston.
lshed al the wealth OF silver used
To fashionable homes there.
our own Navajo Indians are good
sllversmIths Using merely forge
and hand bellows. with a small an
yil and other simple tools. they
make buttons. beads. bracelets.
rings. crosses. bride mountlngs and
buckles. as native works: as a con-
cesslon 20 American demand. they
add miniature canteens. stickplns.
hat bands. knives. forks and spoons.
In such studios as that OF Cor
hams In Providence. designers Gre
ate an amazing variety OF silver
prize cups aud trophies. often In
the form OF horses. sailing craft. or
athletes In action. Tiffany. Wal
lace. international and others are
also known for artistic creations In
this field
Silver In oi6en Times.
Silver iewelry was not new when
wives OF the Pharaohs dressed up"
Helen of Troy used a FURNISHED sill
yer mirror TO admire the face that
launched a thousand ships When
Cleopatra fiIrted with Mark Antony
on the Nile. cleaning silver oars
spiashed softly In the moonlight
Silver jewelry is worn in the ORR
ent 10 guard against evil. Charms
made from coffin nails covered with
silver are common In parts OF
China.
In India a peasant father may
mortgage his whole future 10 deck
a marriageable daughter with sill
YER Wealthy Indian women carry
many pounds OF this jewelry at one
time. and tinkle Ike belled cows as
they walk.
In Yislgothic Spain. gold and sill
yer were reserved for the ruling
class. whose passion for show led
to fabulous decoration. Then the
Moors came with greedy hands for
the treasure. After the battle OF
the Guadalete. I'll. MUSLIN victors,
stripping the Ylsigothic dead. IdentI-
fed the mobiles by golden rings
upon their fingers. and those OF less
exalted rank by their silver rings"