Niello-work

Niello-work (Ital. niello, from Low Lat. nigellum, 'black enamel'), a method of ornamenting silver or gold plates by engraving the surface, and filling up the lines with a black composition to give clearness and effect to the incised design. The plates so ornamented were principally employed in the making of church-plate reliquaries, and for costly personal ornament. Traces of the art are found in ancient Roman work, and it was much practised under the Byzantine empire from the 16th century onwards. The Italian goldsmiths attained remarkable skill in niello-work; and the most eminent and famous of these was the Florentine Maso or Tommaso Finiguerra, whose work, in addition to its artistic excellence, derives peculiar interest from the fact that he, being the first to take paper proofs from his engraved work, directly led the way to the production of line-engravings. The name niello is given not only to the engraved and niellated metal-work, but also to the paper proofs taken from them; and as these were only casually taken they are very rare, and bring great prices, as much as 300 guineas having been paid for a single small proof. Niello-work is still practised by goldsmiths, especially in Russia, the silver niellated boxes made in that country being popularly known as 'platina boxes.' See ENGRAVING, Vol. IV. p. 378; and a long article in the Athenæum for 27th February 1886 on the extensive fabrication of nielli at Venice in the early part of the 19th century.