Ancient Rus'. Silver blackening: history and technique of the craft

Jewelry using the niello technique and recipes for making niello have been known since antiquity, but they became widespread in the Middle Ages. According to the authoritative opinion of the medieval expert on jewelry, Presbyter Theophilus (1070-1125), ancient Russian craftsmen surpassed all others in the variety of use of niello for jewelry. It is believed that the first centers for the production of gold and silver jewelry with niello appeared at the courts of Russian princes.

The term “niello” is associated with the black color of the powder, which is applied to products and gives the design or ornament a special expressiveness. The international name for niello is niello (from the Italian niello or Latin nigellus). By changing the composition of the powder, you can get different shades: from deep black to gray. Old Russian craftsmen used niello to fill the background of the product, thereby highlighting the light design, or they filled specially made recesses that followed the outline of the design.

The topic of decorations using the niello technique has been studied by many art historians, archaeologists and historians. The first to describe ancient Russian jewelry with niello was the famous archaeologist N.P. Kondakov; the study was continued by the Soviet scientist A.S. Gushchin and specialist in the history of Ancient Rus' B.A. Rybakov. Soviet art historians M.M. Postnikova-Loseva, N.G. Platonova, B.L. Ulyanova, the chronological framework of the studied rabble was extended to the 19th century. The period of formation and development of niello craftsmanship was most fully considered in the works of T.I. Makarova.

What is a mob?

Niello is one of the ancient techniques of decorating various silver and gold objects by painting them black. The consequence of using this technique is the contrast of colors on the surface of objects, and it does not matter whether it is an ornamental design or a relief detail.
Thus, silver blackening is also used to hide minor flaws on a product, such as small scratches or connecting seams. Blackened silver can easily be called a classic of the genre for making items in an antique style or with “traditional” notes. Blackening is a kind of “black” alloy of copper, silver, sulfur and lead fused into the base metal. The alloy is fused into a 0.3 mm depression, which is applied in several ways:

1. minting;
2. engraving;
3. gouging;
4. etching.

When heated, at high temperatures, a chemical reaction occurs between the melted mixture (black) and silver. Thus, in addition to new decorative properties, the blackened product also gains practical properties. Now it will not fade so quickly and will not require additional care. The color range of niello is quite wide: from light, silver-gray shades to noble velvet, black tones.

The niello alloy also looks very beautiful on high-grade gold and silver items. However, it is quite difficult to cast a high-quality niello composition that will not peel off gold, which is why niello coating on precious metals is used extremely rarely. From time immemorial, blackening of silver has been considered exquisite and the most durable. Well, if you really want gold jewelry, then you can, for example, gild the silver, protecting the areas with the finished niello with a special varnish. Why not?!

Recommendations

You yourself can choose a way to blacken metal at home, each of them can lead to a very high-quality result. A container is almost always needed. Best suited: porcelain, durable glass (if heating is not needed), galvanized stainless steel. Attach hooks to the edges of the tank: you will need them to secure the part.

Another tip: degrease not only the workpiece itself, but also the container for the procedure. This can be acetone, gasoline, kerosene or a special composition. The main thing is that they are inert towards steel, that is, they do not enter into a chemical reaction with it.

Be sure to be responsible when choosing a location; it should be a room with excellent ventilation. Otherwise, you may be exposed to dangerous, toxic fumes. Additional protection - a respirator, goggles to protect the mucous membrane of the eyes, gloves.

An important preliminary step when using any method is to remove rust and dirt before applying the metal blackening agent. It can be done using sandpaper or a grinder with a special attachment. In extreme cases, etching can be used.

We recommend carefully choosing which product can be used for a particular type of material. If you follow our tips correctly, you can get excellent results at home.

Methods of applying niello

The niello is applied both wet and dry:

• In the dry method, the surface is wetted with the necessary special solution and finely ground black powder is applied. Then all this is carefully dried and fired in a muffle at a temperature of 300° to 400° C.
• In the wet application method, the composition is applied to the product in the form of a creamy porridge, which is diluted with water. Using a spatula or brush, spread the mixture tightly and thickly in the recesses and wait for the water to evaporate. Then, when heated in the muffle, the niello becomes soft, melts and flows into the design, covering the object. This means it's time to remove the product from the oven. Small decorations are melted with a soldering gun. The heat flow is concentrated on the base metal, so it is better to heat it from the reverse side. As soon as the mass melts, heating is completed.

Now it’s time to “clean up” the product with a scraper or file until a pattern appears. Very often, the background of the product requires additional engraving or shotting - applying strokes, dots or notches to the surface of the metal.

Having an understanding of the process of blackening products, you will be able to see flaws in jewelry on store shelves with the naked eye. For example, uneven background of the product: spots or bumps. You may notice splashes or streaks on light areas of the product. In general, negligence or, as experts say, a universal “vice”.

Corrosion protection

This is the most important goal. This is especially true when a metal structure is used outdoors, that is, the steel is constantly exposed to oxygen and moisture. With such actively reacting substances, an oxidative process - rusting - is possible. As a result, red rust is formed. It greatly affects the strength, reducing it, and also shortens the service life. In this regard, many car enthusiasts are actively interested in how to make the surface of the metal black, and how to blue the steel elements of the car, since corrosion spoils automobile spare parts.

Blackening silver at home

There are many simple home methods for blackening. It happens that you just urgently need to blacken a chain, ring, saucer or vase. As always, the Internet can help us. It is replete with all sorts of recipes: from boiled eggs, which are gentle on the product and do not harm the product, to pharmaceutical sulfur ointment and fixative for attaching photographs. If you choose sulfur ointment, you will need to thoroughly coat the surface with it, then dry it with a hot hairdryer until it drips. When the product turns dark purple, you need to rinse and dry the item.

To blacken silver at home, it is recommended to use iodine. In this case, you won't need a hairdryer. Simply coat the product with iodine, leave it to dry with iodine impregnation, and polish it thoroughly when dry. If you find it difficult to do this yourself, refer to the videos. Keep in mind that blackening is not that easy. Just the preparation of “sulfur liver,” as jewelers call it, is worth a lot. It is very harmful and smelly.

Using machine oil

It is not necessary to prepare a complex composition for chemical bluing of steel at home. Sometimes an ordinary oil substance that is poured into a car engine is enough. The procedure is similar to the thermal method, but in reverse order. First, heat the steel element red-hot, then place it in a tank completely filled with oil (machine or linseed oil will do). The part itself should be held using pliers or pre-prepared hooks. It must be maintained for at least 15 minutes. After this, place it on a paper napkin, which will absorb the liquid. Then similar steps are repeated 4-5 times until a rich color is formed. It will likely be dark gray rather than black, but the surface will be good against rust.

Black on silver: styles and techniques

Blackened jewelry can be purchased in almost all jewelry stores. The main thing is to pay attention and check with the sellers whether this technique was used in the product you are trying on. After all, it may turn out to be a fake.

Israeli ethnic style jewelry deserves a separate topic. Israeli craftsmen use embossing, blackening and many other techniques in their works with their own stories. The decorations look like ancient ones, which we can only find in ancient human burials. In the cities of Ukraine and Russia today you can find many products from Israel.

Original or fake?

Blackened silver, although at first glance some may not like it, turns out to be far from being the last relative in the jewelry business. The price of blackened metal may differ from the price of ordinary silver. You can't find niello in oxidized silver either. Oxidation, simply put, is an oxide film that protects the metal from tarnishing. It gives the product attractive properties. If for some reason the niello peels off the silver, it means it was oxidized.

By and large, you can get rid of blackening on jewelry. If you boil the product in a soda solution with foil, it will lighten. Housewives often practice this technique in everyday life, getting rid of any dirt, both on cutlery and on any other surfaces. A well-known gentle way to clean jewelry is to pour it in a glass with detergent or just shampoo and forget about it for a few days. If you don't believe me, don't waste your time and fill it with "Fairy".

Give the product a presentable look

A dark matte shade can give a stylish design to an ordinary knife. The blade, coated with an oxide film, looks very unusual and attractive. The same can be said for a number of other items. This need is especially relevant when the item is already old.

The technology is also used for artistic purposes, when a creative approach is taken to decorative elements of the interior.

We wear jewelry made of blackened silver

Blackened silver with patterns is in great demand today and has many fans around the world. On sale you can find rings made of blackened silver, earrings, bracelets, pendants, made in different styles and manners. Quite often, these jewelry are complemented with precious and semi-precious stones: amber, garnet, pearls, diamond, emerald, ruby, etc. The cost of products with stones increases several times. As a rule, they are made of 925-grade metal, which means that they are very durable and do not require a lot of constant cleaning.

Stylish silver jewelry with blackening is an ideal decoration for both special occasions and everyday wear. Blackened silver will suit any style of clothing, perhaps except sportswear and those that are overloaded with additional decorative elements. It will look great with an evening dress, a business suit and a light summer sundress. Blackened silver is not recommended to be worn to work or at home. Remove jewelry while cleaning and other household chores. Silver with stones requires careful treatment; it is worthy of the admiration of others.

When choosing blackened silver jewelry, pay attention to your skin color. If you have dark skin, try to choose light silver with dark patterns. If you have fair skin, it is better for you to wear silver-icy patterns on a dark background.

In completely different styles: “office”, “elven”, and “casual”, blackened jewelry will work “perfectly”. In addition, niello, unlike oxidized silver, is not at all afraid of chipping. But if the jewelry is too expensive for you, try to handle it very carefully if you want your favorite item to serve you for many years and please the eye at any moment.

Our online store “Yantar Polesie” will help you choose and buy earrings made of blackened silver or other silver jewelry!