A silversmith is a craftsman who shapes, joins and finishes objects made from silver. Working with the metal itself or with silver alloys such as sterling, a silversmith produces functional and decorative items including tableware, hollowware, jewelry and liturgical objects. The work overlaps with other precious‑metal trades: for example, goldsmiths perform many similar tasks but typically specialize in gold and its alloys, and firms or individuals may practice both arts.
Materials and characteristics
Silver used by silversmiths ranges from fine silver (nearly pure) to alloys like sterling silver (commonly 92.5% silver) that balance softness and strength. Silver is valued for its ductility, lustre and ability to take fine surface detail. Because it is softer than many metals, silversmiths rely on techniques that control shaping without excessive thinning or cracking.
Tools and techniques
Common techniques include raising (working a sheet over a stake to form hollow shapes), forging and annealing (softening by heat), soldering, casting, chasing and repoussé (surface modelling from the front and back), engraving and polishing. Typical tools are hammers of various shapes, stakes, anvils, files, soldering torches, punches and gravers. Conservation and finishing often involve careful polishing and, in some cases, patination.
Typical products range from flatware and cutlery to bowls, teapots, candlesticks, ecclesiastical vessels and fine jewelry. Beyond household and ceremonial objects, historical silversmithing also produced decorative fittings, small sculpture and bespoke commissions for wealthy patrons.
Silversmithing is an ancient craft. Evidence for the technique and finished silver objects exists from ancient times, and organized traditions appear in many cultures. In medieval and early modern Europe, guilds regulated training, quality and hallmarking; hallmarking and assay systems remain important ways to certify purity and provenance. Well‑known historical practitioners include independent workshop masters and notable figures such as Paul Revere, who combined silversmithing with civic roles.
Today the craft continues both in traditional studio practice and in industrial contexts where silver’s electrical and thermal properties are exploited. Collectors and scholars distinguish hand‑made silversmithing from mass‑produced silver plate and electroplated ware. For more on the metal itself see silver and for related artisan trades see goldsmiths.