Children's plate silver 925 squirrel – bowl with niello and engraving

A child's gift that won't disappear into a cupboard but will stay on the table — that is exactly what this silver bowl is. Instead of plastic tableware that ends up in the trash after a few years, the child receives a piece that grows with them: a round bowl made of 925 sterling silver, with two wide decorative handles each bearing a squirrel, embedded in dense scroll and leaf ornamentation. The motif is not printed or glued on — it has become an inseparable part of the silver through niello, a millenary-old black metal inlay technique. The inner basin is intentionally kept simple: polished to a mirror finish, without decoration, so that attention is focused entirely on the two artistic handles.

At a glance

• Material: 925 sterling silver, high-gloss polished, with niello decoration
• Shape: round bowl with two wide decorative handles
• Niello motif: squirrel with ornamental scrollwork, on both handles
• Capacity: 250 ml
• Total length (with handles): 196 mm
• Width: 145 mm
• Height: 38 mm
• Weight: approx. 224 g
• Fineness: 925 sterling silver
• Gift box included

Material and craftsmanship

Niello is not a paint or varnish, but a black inlay that is melted into finely engraved lines, sanded flush, and polished — like ink in silver. On this bowl, this means: the squirrel on each handle and the surrounding scrollwork are first hand-engraved into the silver, then the niello compound is heated and applied. After cooling, the surface is sanded until the deep black niello is precisely flush with the shiny silver. It is the contrast between the warm polished silver and the deep black that carries the motif — the fur, round belly, bushy tail, and watchful eyes of the squirrel can be recognized with a sharpness that only this technique achieves. The motif does not fade, wear off, or peel off because it is literally part of the metal. The bowl is crafted by SevChern in Veliky Ustyug in northern Russia, a center of Russian silver processing that has existed since the 17th century. Niello work from Veliky Ustyug has been documented since 1683.

Collection

This bowl follows the shape of a porringer — a round, shallow dish with side handles, such as has been made for centuries in the European and Russian silversmith tradition as children's tableware. With a capacity of 250 ml, it is sized for baby food, soup, or oatmeal; the length of 196 mm including handles and the width of 145 mm give it good proportions for a child's table, and at 38 mm high, a child can easily reach the bottom with a spoon. At approx. 224 g, it feels solid but not too heavy in the hand — and because 925 sterling silver is the same material inside and out, with no base metal and no coating, its smooth surface remains easy to clean for a lifetime.

Special features

The squirrel is one of the animal motifs that children recognize immediately — and which at the same time tells a story: curiosity, skill, and energy. An animal that climbs, collects, and plans, that is always on the move without ever losing sight of the big picture. On a silver bowl that accompanies a child from baptism onwards, this motif gains its own expressive power — vivid instead of arbitrary. The scrollwork enclosing the figure on both handles is not a random filler ornament, but follows the classic style of the niello masters from Veliky Ustyug: the animal and the floral framing form a composition in which the squirrel is visibly seated in its environment.

Occasions and target groups

The squirrel motif is gender-neutral and thus equally suitable for girls and boys. As a christening gift, birth gift, or keepsake for a birth, this bowl has its own language: it is initially everyday tableware for porridge, muesli, or fruit slices, and later becomes a cherished keepsake whose niello motif remains unchanged — firm, durable, as old as the silver itself.

Engraving and SilberVerse card

After review, a personal engraving is possible — a name, a date, or a short sentence. An engraved child's bowl thus clearly belongs to this child and this moment. Upon request, we will also include a personal SilberVerse card in photo format (15 × 10 cm landscape) — individually designed, matching the occasion, and free of charge.

Care

925 sterling silver with niello decoration is easier to care for than many think. Hand washing with warm water and mild dish soap is sufficient, plus a soft cloth for drying. No dishwasher, no aggressive cleaning agents, no silver dip. A light tarnish layer can be removed with a silver polishing cloth — the niello itself is insensitive to normal care and changes neither in color nor depth.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of shape is this — a plate or a bowl?
It is a shallow, round bowl with two wide side handles, known in the silversmith tradition as a porringer. The inner basin is open and shallow at 38 mm, the capacity is 250 ml — suitable for baby food, soup, or muesli.

Where exactly is the squirrel motif located?
The niello motif is located on both side handles, each as a complete squirrel image, framed by ornamental scrollwork. The inner basin of the bowl remains smoothly polished and without decoration.

What distinguishes 925 silver from silver-plated children's tableware?
Silver-plated children's tableware only has a thin layer of silver on a base metal, which wears off over time. 925 sterling silver is solid — the same precious metal inside and out, with no layer that could peel off.

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You can find more silver gifts for children in our selection of 925 silver christening gifts and gifts for a birth.