FUYIN   SILVERWARE

Cloisonné ware is made from silver sheets, which are cut to fit the design. Round objects are forged as a whole, hammered, and calibrated into an arc through a mold. Irregular-shaped objects are forged in separate pieces and then welded, using borax as a flux and charcoal heating. After completion, the body is polished to a smooth finish, laying the foundation for subsequent processes.

To create cloisonné, thin, flat silver wire is first bent into the desired shape using tweezers, following the outline of the pattern on the base. The wire is then adhered to the base with a damp cloth dipped in white hyacinth to secure it. Adjustments to the position and shape of the wire are necessary during the process to ensure smooth lines and a regular pattern, laying the foundation for the subsequent blue dotting.

Cloisonné welding wire is made by sprinkling solder powder on the connection between the pinched silver wire and the body, heating it to 800-900℃, melting the solder and then cooling it to firmly bond the silver wire to the body, ensuring the stability of the silver wire and laying the foundation for subsequent processes.

Cloisonné blue-dotting involves using a blue-dotting tube to fill glaze powder into the pattern outlined by silver wire. The initial filling must be compacted and not protrude above the silver wire. After firing and cooling, the glaze shrinks, so multiple fillers are needed to level the glaze with the silver wire to prepare for subsequent blue firing.

To apply the blue to cloisonné, the blue-applied body is placed in a furnace at 800-900°C, melting the glaze powder into a glassy glaze. Because the glaze shrinks as it cools, this process is repeated 2-5 times, alternating between the blue-applied and the blue-applied, until the glaze is flush with the silver thread, giving the color a warm, mellow texture and preparing for subsequent processing.

Cloisonné polishing involves three stages: coarse polishing, fine polishing, and bright polishing. The blue-burned body is gradually polished using tools such as sand, charcoal, and soft cloth. First, protrusions are smoothed, then marks are removed and brightened. Ultimately, the glaze surface is level with the silver wire, creating a warm, translucent glaze with a clear, visible copper wire, laying the foundation for subsequent processes.