{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25265"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25265/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HX8084/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HX8084/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HX8084","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HX8082","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25265","accessionNumber":"M.3-1999","objectType":"Nutcracker","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"These nutcrackers are an example of close plated work which was a method used, particularly by the cutlery industry, to apply a silver surface to a base metal.  The mark 'S' denotes an underlying metal of steel. The steel nutcrackers were immersed in a flux of sal ammoniac, dipped in molten tin and covered in a thin silver foil. A hot soldering iron was applied to the surface, melting the tin under the silver foil and fusing the silver to the steel. Bubbles of rust on the underlying tin have caused the plating to lift. On exposure to the air, the tin has tarnished black.\n\r\nManufacturing close plate was laborious and time-consuming, but the industry did not collide directly with electroplate in the same way as Sheffield plate. Close plate workers specialised in making cutlery, scissors, and snuffers up until the early 20th-century.","physicalDescription":"Nutcrackers with cylinder shaped mechanism fitted to shaped plate ( turn-over lever mechanism - so that the arms could be reversed to hang from the wider side - so wide enough to crack a larger nut)with rectangular upper arms which taper to the ends. Grid of dots on the upper arms.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"close plate","id":"x41022"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Close plate (silver-plated steel)","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2015HX8084","2015HX8082"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"67","id":"THES49731"},"free":"","case":"10","shelf":"4","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Nutcrackers","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1825","earliest":"1820-01-01","latest":"1829-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Ann Eatwell","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"14","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Greatest","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Mark 'S' denoting an underlying metal of steel and M?","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"The mark 'S' denotes an underlying metal of steel. The steel nutcrackers were immersed in a flux of sal ammoniac, dipped in molten tin and covered in a thin silver foil. A hot soldering iron was applied to the surface, melting the tin under the silver foil and fusing the silver to the steel. Bubbles of rust on the underlying tin have caused the plating to lift. On exposure to the air, the tin has tarnished black.\nManufacturing close plate was laborious and time-consuming, but the industry did not collide directly with electroplate in the same way as Sheffield plate. Close plate workers specialised in making cutlery, scissors, and snuffers up until the early 20th-century.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Nutcracker, made in England, ca. 1825","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Andrew J. Crawforth, 'Nutcracks in Pictures', </font><u>Journal of the Antique Metalware Society</u>, June 2004, p.38-52"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Keith Pinn, 'Introduction to Close Plate', </font><u>Journal of the Antique Metalware Society</u>, June 2003, p.32-38"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.3-1999"],"accessionNumberNum":"3","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1999,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-21","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-16","availableToBook":false}}