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Silver purse, 'Kanok Elegance'

Small kanok flowers grace a sterling silver trellis as Ploy Intha gradually transforms it into a refined purse. And engraved border complements the sophisticated elegance of the purse as Intha blends past vogue with contemporary allure. Infused with classic chic, this purse is certain to become an admired accessory.

Proud of her work, Intha describes the elaborate crafting process of this purse: "For this accessory, silver and a small amount of copper are placed in a crucible, then covered with another crucible and placed in the forge. When ready, some ground charcoal is blended into the molten alloy to prevent solid dross from forming when that mixture is poured out into a terracotta container. The silver obtained is beaten on an anvil into the desired shape with appropriate hammers. A mixture of oil and pitch is heated, and a coat of this mixture is applied on a wooden surface. Another coat of that mixture is applied to the bottom of the piece. The piece is affixed to the wooden surface and hand-detailed with chisels. Once engraved, the pieces are lightly reheated to remove the pitch and placed into a boiling acid bath to rinse out the impurities. The pieces are washed into a solution of washing powder and tamarind. Then the pieces are finely soldered to create this accessory, and a thin strap, which has been previously braided out of long strings, is attached to the completed item. It is then washed again with water, let to dry in the sun and finally filed with a brass brush and polished it to a beautiful high sheen."

In olden days, silver was reserved by low-ranking officials and commoners, where as gold was reserved for the king and the aristocracy. Gradually, silver became beloved by all, and besides its decorative and utilitarian purposes it was believed to bring good luck. Now silver utensils are to be found as collectors' items or in very skilled Thai silversmiths' shops.