There is room in my collection for silver bought primarily because I want to look at it. These two Liquid Metals pieces are good examples: an angelfish with the presence of a small sculpture, and a winged angel bar whose relief comes alive under the lights.
A small sculpture with balance
The angelfish shown in the video is described as 1.4 troy ounces of .999 fine silver. The antiqued and polished surfaces bring out its details, and it is balanced well enough to stand on a desk. In the video I also show how it can spin.
It joins a sea turtle I had previously acquired from the same maker. That gives the new piece a place in an existing group rather than making it an isolated purchase. The limited production discussed in the video was part of its appeal, though the article does not treat scarcity as a promise of a higher future price.
The winged angel bar
The second piece is a two-troy-ounce .999 fine silver winged angel bar. Its high relief and the contrast between the darker finish and polished highlights are central to what I enjoy about it. The coloured lighting on the set makes those changes in surface especially apparent.
A close-up video is useful for this sort of work because a single catalogue photograph cannot show every angle. The object can look quite different as it is turned, even though the underlying design has not changed.
Pay for craftsmanship consciously
Buying poured artwork means paying for more than ounces. Design, casting, finishing and the maker’s time all contribute to the asking price. That can be worthwhile when the object is something you enjoy, but it should be recognised as a collecting decision.
I am interested in work that people may continue to want over time. That remains a judgement, not a guaranteed resale outcome. The pleasure of owning the piece needs to make sense in its own right.
