Art Nouveau Cambridge 1895-1920s Sterling silver overlay Teal glass Jardinieres

decorated in sterling silver [marked as such both on a label on one of them, and 'sterling' in the silver of each of them.] by National Silver Deposit Ware Co.of NY. These were done during the first period of silver overlay, between 1895 and 1925 In 1889, the decorative technique of applying silver designs to glass was patented by Oscar Pierre Erand and John Benjamin Round for Stevens & Williams Ltd in Birmingham, England. It had the shortcoming that the reverse side of the silver next to the glass would tarnish and turn dark. In 1893, a patent was registered in the US by John H. Sharling of New Jersey, which had the distinct advantage that the reverse side was white and stayed that way by utilizing electroplating. He shared his methods with everyone and silver overlay came to its first peak in the early 1900's. There were two distinct eras of Silver Overlay. From 1895 to the early 1920's, this art had its own avid following and became a decorative rage. But during this first era, it was very labor intensive and expensive and this period was over by the mid-1930's.