Decorations on Black Glass
The beauty of Black Glass provides a perfect background for decorations.
This section will highlight several types of decorations.
Silver Overlay & Silver Deposit
Silver on Black is a rich combination.
The terms "Silver Overlay" and "Silver Deposit" are often used interchangably.
The silver deposit process applies a thick layer of silver to the surface of the glass. This is often accomplished by electroysis. When you run your finger over the pattern, you can often feel the pattern. Be careful when cleaning. The silver or fusing agent can weaken and peel away from the glass. Many people call this silver overlay.
Many decorating firms purchased black glass from the glass manufacturers, applied the silver and marketed the item under their name.
Some patterns are not identical on all items. The item to be decorated would dictate which parts of a design were applied. A creamer and sugar could have part of the design and a plate could have the complete design.
When gold was electroplated to an existing etch, it was called encrustation. Tiffin Glass Company and Cambridge Glass Company are two stars of this technique.