Koftgari Scrap Gold Melt Value?
 

I have often seen examples of antique swords and daggers missing their original gemstones, as those were considered more valuable than the arms itself.

Taking that idea further, I'm wondering if anyone has heard of people intentionally scrapping the gold koftgari work from a piece to sell the gold.

It seems like a terrible loss of craftsmanship, but I'm curious if it's happened.

Not sure all the yellow metal in koftgari is gold. There are other yellow metal non tarnish alloys. Or so low alloy of gold not being worth any money. Even in the UK 9ct can seen as yellow metal {rather expensive yellow metal}

What I've heard is that Chinese people visit antique shops and look for rhino horn! :mad:

I'm not surprised about that at all. Rhino horn sold in powder form is much sought after by Chinese who can afford to pay for it.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe it is thought to be beneficial for older men to increase sexual potency. In S.Africa conservationists have started to put small but detectable radioactive materials into the horns of living Rhinos to discourage poachers.

I watched a demonstration of koftgari technique at the bladesmith's seminar I attended the weekend before last. The technique can give a lot of surface glitter for a very, very small amount of gold. Though the thickness applied can vary, it may be very thin as well demonstrated by the well worn surfaces we often encounter. The wire flattened into and spread over the scored surface is similar in diameter to a human hair. But I have often encountered scraped or otherwise suspiciously denuded surfaces as well, whether to prepare the surface for redecoration or for scrap recovery I do not know.

As to rhino horn, I shall restrain myself from getting started except to say that any placebo medical effect achieved in Chinese traditional medicine makes a lot more sense than self-righteously burning it for self-righteous virtue signaling.

Well said!! I have often thought that these materials that are confiscated by governments should be cataloged, micro chipped, serial numbered and certificated.The items can then be resold and the money can go to the game preserves, more police to apprehend poachers, etc..More animals will be brought back in this method than by simply burning it;also more of an item will reduce the value and maybe make it less cost effective to poach verses the consequences.

IMHO the gold from koftgari is so thin that it is not worth the effort. I would even question digging out gold inlay as well.

EXACTLY!

Absolutely pointless to try to collect the gold from the koftgari as you would end up with only fractions of grams worth only pennies.

And regarding the "precious stones" decorating some blades, most of them are not precious but semi-precious like agates, quartz, amethyst, etc. of very little if any retail sale value.

Moreover, the precious stones that occasionally decorate the blades are in most cases low quality rubies, sapphires, emeralds or even diamonds with cracks, chips and inclusions that make them practically unsaleable or, in best case scenario saleable for extremely little money.

But we must also account for the ignorance and greed of people. It may be the case that some obnoxious owner of a nicely decorated blade believes the gems and gold on it would bring him a fortune and try to strip it and sell the gold and gems separately, only to find out "ex post facto" that they bring him nothing... but he already destroyed an otherwise valuable blade.

hehe theyed be gnawing it right off the tangs..

I think what you're saying is discriminatory against Chinese people. Chinese people like rhino horns because rhino horns have great medicinal value and are particularly effective for blood disorders.

Sorry but the rhino horns are simply made of matted hair. Therefore, any hair taken from elsewhere on the rhinoceros will have the same composition. This composition is keratin, which is common to all mammalian fur. The differences in color are simply due to melanin and the structure of the hair (but once ground into powder, the structure is irrelevant, the basic composition remains the same: keratin). In short, your own hair will be just as effective as rhinoceros horn...

There is no robust scientific evidence (and no plausible mechanism) for any medicinal effects, and in fact evidence exists that it is ineffective and also potentially toxic.

I think that this thread has run its legitimate course and the better part of wisdom is to now close it.