Austrian Silverplated Wine Holder By Berndorf, 1880
In 1851 the Berndorf Metalware Factory instituted the electroplating process into their line of silverware production. At the same time, they developed a base metal to silver plate over consisting of copper, nickel and zinc. This new base metal was unique because as the plated surface wore, the base, because it was the same color as the plating, showed no evidence of wear. This wine holder was made of the aforementioned metals. In the nineteenth century, Berndorf had a display of their products in both the Paris and Viennese International Exhibitions. This aided in Berndorfs worldwide recognition as manufacturers of quality silver and silverplated products. This wine holder is quite unique in that it not only holds the wine bottle securely, but there is a mechanism for raising and lowering the bottle for pouring.
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Silver-gilt table salt, Makers mark I.K, 1908-1917, possibly St Petersburg in the form of Peter the Greats dacha house in Reval, realistically modelled, the roof opening to reveal the gilt interior, engraved in Cyrillic: House of the Tsar I in Reval. Width 13 cm
