How do I clean a pierced basket?

Use a soft brush rather than a cloth. It'll catch on the sharp edges of the pierced silver and pull the thin sections out of shape. Apply polish sparingly. If paste gets stuck in the intricate gaps, it dries white and takes hours to pick out with a wooden stick.

I found a large silver basket in my grandmother's attic and it has glass inside, is the glass liner supposed to be there or was it added later because the silver has holes in it?

Glass liners are a standard feature on many antique silver baskets. Makers supplied them so the vessel could hold sugar or soft fruits that would otherwise fall through the pierced sides. Blue glass is the most common colour. It provides a strong visual contrast against the polished silver wirework. Finding an original liner adds interest to the piece. Replacing a broken one requires a glassblower to make a custom mould.

What does a fixed handle mean?

A fixed handle doesn't pivot. It is soldered directly to the rim of the basket and stays fixed upright. This style is typical of early eighteenth-century work. It requires more storage space in a silver chest than a swing handle.

When I try to read the hallmarks on the bottom of the basket they seem to be stamped right on top of the engraving, why would the maker do it like that instead of leaving a blank space?

The placement of hallmarks depends on the assay office rather than the silversmith. The assay master struck the punches wherever they found a flat surface on the base. Silversmiths sometimes engraved the decoration after the basket returned from the assay office. The engraver might run a pattern across the existing marks to keep the design symmetrical.

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Antique Silver Baskets

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Antique silver baskets are openwork vessels featuring a swing or fixed handle, traditionally placed on a formal dining table to serve bread, fruit, or sweetmeats.