Enamel on Copper – Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Blog – Will make you money.

Enamel on Copper - Thanks to Flicker

Almost a year ago to the day, I purchased a small enamel on copper vase for about $50. It was dark maroon in color, with some people dressed in European attire adorning it. One of my friends, who is a dealer, came to my house because he needed merchandise for a show in Atlanta. To my surprise, he picked some higher priced items but when he saw the little enameled vase, asked if it would be okay to take it. First, I asked what he figured the vase would bring and the answer stopped me in my tracks. “Perhaps $900 or $1000.” “Sure you can” was my response and guess what, it sold at the show.

This has sent me on a quest for more enamel on copper and, as I am finding out, it seems that the sky is the limit for the value of these wares. Just checking eBay, I found one piece priced at $75,000 and many more from $3000 to $5000. I am sure that these are just the tip of the iceberg for Russian and French enameling. When you visit that next antique show to acquire more knowledge, be sure to look at as many enameled pieces as you can and examine each one for its detail and craftsmanship.

Why are you writing about enamel on copper today, you must be asking and here is the answer. I received a call from an old friend and he asked if it would be okay to drive over and show me four pictures that were enamel on copper and mounted in gold gilded frames. Of course you know my response. “Sure.” When he arrived, I was holding my breath because these could possibly be of any value. Entering the door, he had a rather small box which he opened to expose four miniature pieces measuring about 4 by 2 inches without the frames. However, even if they were small, the enameling was fantastic. All four were landscapes and the frames were real gold gilding. Needless to say I wanted them and soon asked the price. Once he quoted them to me, they had to be mine and sure enough they are. I will not sell them immediately because I would like to admire them for a few days, but yes, they will be for sale and yes, they will complete several, yes several, steps in our race compared to their cost. The race that I am referring to is the Million Dollar Race that I hope all the members of the Daryle Lambert's Antiques and Collectibles Club are participating in.

There are many books on enameling on Amazon but one that might interest you is Enameling on Precious Metals by Jeanne Werge-Hartley. It may help you to research this subject on Yahoo where I am sure you will find an abundance of information. Knowledge in this area will pay you back big time because there are so few that really know much about these items.

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