Electroplating is the process of depositing a thin layer of metal, usually silver, gold or nickel, onto an object by electrolysis. The object is suspended in a solution containing the plating metal and connected to an electric current, which draws the metal out of solution and bonds it evenly to the surface.
Commercial electroplating was developed in the 1830s and 1840s, and the Birmingham firm of Elkington took out key patents around 1840, quickly becoming the dominant name in the industry. The process was cheaper and more versatile than the earlier fused Old Sheffield Plate, and it soon replaced it, allowing complex cast and pierced designs to be plated after manufacture. Electroplated wares were commonly made on a base of nickel silver, marked EPNS, or Britannia metal, marked EPBM, and many pieces carry pseudo-hallmarks that can be mistaken for sterling marks. Collectors value quality of design and weight, clear maker's marks and good original plating. Worn areas where the base metal shows through are common, and replating is an accepted restoration, though it should be done sympathetically. Electroplating also played an important part in reproducing sculpture and decorative objects in the nineteenth century.
