posted 09-24-2005 04:12 PM            

The question was raised in another thread of whether or not to repair of some attractive tongs. This will not answer the question, but I am glad that someone decided to repair the Kirk toast rack shown above. Below you can see that a patch has been made at three locations on the bottom side. The repair method may be the same as the "reinforcing fitted patch" referred to by Swarter in his comments as a possible way to repair the tongs. The Kirk toast may have started it life with a design flaw in that three patches were need and while not shown in these pictures, the opposite end of one area that was patched has a very tiny stress fracture. Not big enough to worry about now, but I am careful not to put additional stress on it while polishing. In any event someone a long time ago decided to repair this toast rack and from the patina formed on the patches I would guess that it was within 50 years of its manufacture.

posted 09-25-2005 05:23 AM            

This is a really nice piece. As you well know, there are several things to be considered when buying a piece of silver. Yes... one of them is usability. The toast rack can be used; the tongs no such luck.

When thinking about repairing a piece of silver (and I have lots of repair work done), my first consideration is What will it look like when it is completed? Is the repair really noticeable. Can the piece function like it like it was designed to? And the big question for a dealer, "is it worth more repaired or left alone?".

Concerning the tongs, the placement of a metal strip beneath the bridge is the best way to repair them. But, this is a major repair. To reach a similar level of damage, the toast rack would have to be nearly torn in half.

Now we come to a decision.. The value added of repairing the tongs is probbably not worth the cost of doing it. If the tongs cost $48. broken and it costs $65. to repair them, will the repaired tongs be worth more than $113. If the answer is no, the tongs should not be repaired, or even purchased. If the tongs had passed down to you from your family, there should be no question. If the money is available, the tongs should get repaired. Also, because tongs are "active" pieces, that is to use them, you really stress the joint, they tend to brake faster than most any other piece.

The decision on the toast rack is easier to make. The piece was already repaired, and the dealer knew it and you knew it. You lusted after it, and purchased it taking the more or less minor repairs into account.

The repairs to the toast rack are less visable than any repair to the tongs would be. The toast rack is showier, and presents better than the tongs and is normally subjected to much less stress.

I have rambled enough for tonight

posted 09-26-2005 10:09 AM            

The compulsory assaying of silver ended in Baltimore in February 1830 however Kirk was one company that continued to have their silver assayed. From the book “Silver in Maryland”, I think Ms. Goldsborough indicates that Kirk silver after 1830 until at least 1835 would have an assay mark. Since this toast rack does not have an assay mark I assume it was made after 1835 and before 1846 when Kirk became Kirk and Son.

posted 09-26-2005 03:20 PM            

Above are pictures of the top and bottom of the end repair. You can see from the top that the center bar separated from the end bar. The repair on the underside extends all three directions at the intersection of the center bar and the end bar. From the earlier pictures one can see that a patch has also been added to the middle of both side bars. I am not sure what happened here as there is no sign of fracture when looking at the top. Perhaps the craftsman doing the repair thought they might break or perhaps a hairline crack had already developed. I am somewhat surprised that a patch was not made to the other end.
I am not sure that this explains the need for repair, but something did cause the cross bars to separate

posted 09-28-2005 09:58 AM            

As a silversmith/maker with a love of old silver, and some repair experience, I have repaired three English toast racks. And yes toast racks, by their nature have a design flaw. Sterling silver is not a very strong metal and when the object is made up of thin wires with many solder joins it is bound to come apart. Most likely from mis-handling when being polished. As the bending and straightning of the rack harden the silver it will crack at the solder seams and weak points. Heat is not a worry as silver is a high temperature metal and high kitchen stove temperatures would at worst aneal it but not melt it or the solder.

The repair of your rack is a very workman like effort and will give it many years of use. You are right to treat it gently if you see a stress fracture.

posted 09-28-2005 12:22 PM            

If you are buying for yourself, always buy what makes you smile. You won't go wrong.

Second thing.. and this is directed at
AGLEOPAR... Who and where are you. I could always use a good silversmith. Please.

Thanks much.

Respectfully,

posted 09-29-2005 07:57 AM            

And yes toast racks are a bad design! But I would not make them any other way!! I love the delicacy of form and the function of holding air light toast (of course as an American even in England I never got used to buttering cold toast, oh well not everthing is perfect in life?).

I have been moving house and under the weather so I missed Ulysses laser welding coments. I have used them to do some gold work (3 projects, 2 for some jeweler friends, gold is not my usual medium but boy is it fun to work with and so easy compared to silver! [could not resist that for you jewelers out there]).

Lasers are one of the best new inovations and are great to use. Until recently they have not been calibrated to use with sterling, but I believe now they have solved that. Also they really only cover tiny areas so time wise they still are only good for jewelery. Having said that if I had one (still in the 20K range) and I was making a toast rack it would eliminate the years it took to learn how to hold all the individual pieces together for soldering. That is you could very quickly and so easily tack everthing together and then do your soldering. This would be its main use in silver smithing. There is a lot of room for inovation with lasers that only recently as the price comes down one is begining to see.

By the way, until I used one I had been very skeptical of Laser eye surgery. They are so acurate and so easy to use and so safe that I would go tommorrow if I needed it! It is hard to describe so if you have a jeweler friend who has one ask if you could see it in action.

P.S. I replied to Mr. Cutcher by e-mail, others are welcome, but like most smiths I know, its about a back log... and getting swamped.