I just got this piece hoping it's Heintz, but since it's unsigned I'd like to find out how right or wrong I am. It has 448 stamped on the back.

This is a tray made by Heintz Metal Arts of Buffalo, NY.

Fred

Thanks so much for your information, Fred. I didn't know they made so much unsigned work. Plus, I was confused as to whether they could be Silver Crest.

Dallas

...begs the question...was Heintz the only company doing silver overlay (later Silver Crest)?...what about Euro firms???...

I am not familiar with any firm that may have been producing this type of overlay work. Though Heintz advertized their wares as sterling over bronze, the spun base alloy was composed of 15 percent zinc and the rest copper, making it a brass alloy. Bronze is an alloy of copper and mostly tin. Though todays brass and bronze alloys are made of all sorts of elements. This zinc laden alloy allowed the silver and base metal to bond at a specific temperature. The zinc volitizes and bonds with the sterling and forms a solder at point of contact. Temperature is critical because if overheated it can all become a soldering mess. Heintz advertized the technique as sintering. I have been successful in making small items of overlay in this same manner with a torch as heat. It is tricky.

The makers of objects marked Silvercrest still produce office items. The Smith Metal Arts Company was formed by Fred C. Smith, a former salesman at Heintz. I had a phone conversation with a Smith representative and he told me they still have the forumals used to create the patinas and that they were propriatery.

Fred

...found this at a 2003 Rago sale..

BUFFALO ART CRAFTS SHOP Sterling-on-Bronze desk set: letter holder, pen tray, and four blotter corners with Gothic floral overlay on original dark brown patina. Unmarked. Letter holder: 5 3/4" x 9 1/4"



..so despite being best known for their enamel work, it looks like BACS also did sterling overlay, and as noted the work above is unmarked

Stonecat,

It is my understanding the Arts Crafts Shop was started by Otto Heintz with a partner later the shop moved and it was renamed to Heintz Metal Art Shop.

Most of the stamped ACS items are decorated with enamed designs. You often find early Heints without decoration as well. The curled feet on the inkwell and letter holder are good indicators.

I suspect these are early Heintz though ACS did make some overlay work with enamel.

Fred

...makes sense and so in terms of the transition between the companies its just a matter of the style of the foundation of the piece, and whether a piece is called BACS or HAMS; the desk set is clearly similar to other ornate BACS pieces and the plate is HAMS because of its simple round shape, I guess is the way to look at it..