A handmade hallmarked, heavy gauge, sterling silver decanter coaster with a soft satin, user-friendly finish on the inside base.

Generally speaking, silver coasters are used for containing decanters, bottles and glasses.  Their main use is to protect your highly polished table from liquid stains or scratches.

The products  fall into 2 main categories; reproduction and contemporary. This contemporary design is part of a matching range from the Appetite collection which was designed by Master Silversmith John Campbell who describes below the manufacturing process.

This range of contemporary coasters, (bottle, decanter and ships) are all made using the same technique which is that of 'spinning'. This is an ancient method of producing round, hollow sheet-made objects on a lathe and is most suitable for small production runs. Using a metal spinning lathe, a preformed shape known as a 'chuck' is screwed on to the mandrill of the lathe and a flat metal disc (in this case silver) is 'spun' or wrapped around the chuck while it is rotating. Hence the term 'spinning'. A polished steel burnisher fitted into a long wooden handle is tucked under the arm of the spinner/silversmith and used to lever the disc on to the chuck, using his body weight for power. As you can imagine, the metal tries to buckle and fold as it comes off the flat plane and begins to form a hollow object. It is only the skill of the spinner which prevents this happening. Once the silver has been spun onto or over the chuck, the uneven edges are trimmed to their finished height, using a hand held turning tool.

At this stage in the making, the item is punched with the maker's mark, JAC in a triangle, the full initials of John Campbell. It is then sent to the London Assay Office for testing of each and every component. Only if all the components prove to be better than 92.5% pure silver are the remaining hallmarks punched into the surface while being supported on a steel stake. The English hallmarking system is one of the oldest and best forms of consumer protection and dates back to the 1400s.

The item is then returned to the silversmith's workshop where it is polished, using 4 grades of compound to remove all the spinning lines, file marks, blemishes and scrape marks caused by the Assay Office tests. It then has a protective edge mask fitted and the upper base surface is sand-blasted, leaving the inside edge bright. The sand-blasted surface is lightly polished again to change the finish to a shiny satin surface. This is very user-friendly and resists scratches or marks, which are a constant problem for polished surfaces on which items are placed. Most of the items in the 'Appetite' collection which have flat surfaces, for example trays, have this finish.

The coaster is then ultrasonically cleaned and dried and has a cork base fitted to prevent damage to furniture. It is then finally placed into its presentation box ready for dispatch. This silver decanter coaster would make a perfect silver gift for any occasion, from a birthday to a wedding to a corporate gift or sports award. Silver has become a subtle status symbol in recent years.

You can be assured that all JA Campbell products are made up to a standard, not down to a price.