There is silver you buy because you need something. And there is silver where the question of purpose never even arises. Signature is the richly chased line from Zaramella Argenti of Padua—trays, platters, plates, and vessels made of 925 sterling silver, with borders driven into the metal by hand, leaf by leaf.
What distinguishes Signature from other tableware
The difference lies in the technique. The ornaments in this line are chased, not embossed: the silversmith drives the pattern into the sheet with punches, stroke by stroke, from both sides. An embossing is created in a single operation under a press and turns out the same everywhere. Chased scrolls have real depth, cast shadows, and no section repeats the previous one exactly.
You can recognize this by three things: the soft transitions between raised and recessed areas, the difference in height within a motif, and the fact that the outer contour follows the ornament rather than opposing it with a straight edge. On several pieces in the line, the border curves in arches because the leaf shapes guide it there.
The second characteristic is the consistent separation of the border and the center. The border—that is the name for the surrounding rim—bears the entire ornament. The center, the surface in the middle, remains completely smooth. There is a practical reason for this: whatever is placed on it should have an effect, not compete with the pattern. And it has a consequence that many only appreciate later—the smooth center is an unusually good surface for engraving.
Design language: acanthus, palmette, shell
Three motifs recur in the line, all from the formal repertoire of the Italian Renaissance, which in turn inherited them from antiquity.
The acanthus—that jagged leaf that has adorned capitals since Greek antiquity—forms the continuous foliage. The palmette, a fan-shaped leaf, is placed where a long edge needs to be articulated: in the center on each side of a square tray. The shell, the leitmotif of the Italian Baroque and an ancient symbol of abundance and hospitality, takes on the same role in a bolder relief.
In addition, there are blossoms as pauses in the dense foliage, bunches of grapes as a reference to wine and harvest, and the fine beaded edge: a surrounding band of small hemispheres that finishes the border on the outside or separates it from the center.
What the line includes
Signature is not a series with a fixed scope, but a handwriting. It runs through several product groups—from the serving tray to ritual implements.
Trays form the core—rectangular in three sizes from approx. 39 × 28 to 53 × 40 cm, square from 42 × 42 to 48 × 48 cm, round with approx. 46 cm diameter in three different border motifs. Platters complement them: square, round, one with a cruciform contour with grape vines, the largest with a diameter of approx. 54.5 cm. In addition, there is a deep soup plate with an unusually wide border and the wine carafe set consisting of a carafe and tray.
To see how differently the same handwriting can turn out, compare the round tray with four lily motifs with the tray of the same size with cartouche articulation: same diameter, same technique, completely different effect.
Vessels stand alongside: silver vases from approx. 38 to 46 cm—one with openwork à-jour technique—the Salome pitcher, and wine carafe sets with matching trays.
Light forms the youngest branch: single-armed candlesticks from approx. 39.5 to 47 cm, as well as candelabras with nine to fourteen flames and a height of approx. 65 to 66 cm. A candelabra replaces a pair of candlesticks with a single centerpiece—the appropriate form for round tables and the middle of a room.
The larger part: silver for the ritual table
A large part of the pieces in this line is Judaica—implements for the Jewish festivals and the Sabbath. This is not a side branch, but the focus Zaramella places in Signature.
This includes Kiddush cups, over which the blessing is said for the beginning of the Sabbath, and the significantly larger Eliyahu cups from 23.5 to 51 cm, which are filled but not drunk from on the Seder evening. Additionally, Seder plates with six labeled recesses, the Challah plate for the two loaves, a Netilat vessel with two handles, and the Mayim Achronim set for hand washing after the meal.
Many of these pieces are available as cups, plates, and sets—you can start individually and add to them over the years. The complete overview is in the category Judaica in 925 silver.
We intentionally draw a line here: we carry silver implements and describe their use. Questions regarding ritual suitability are to be answered by your own community—we are not the authority for that.
The manufactory
Zaramella Argenti has been manufacturing in Ronchi di Villafranca near Padua since 1948—in the Veneto, which stands for silver craftsmanship as Tuscany does for leather. The company is in its third generation and supplies specialist retailers throughout Europe; SilberKosmos is an official retailer.
Zaramella's handwriting is not loud. It lies in the purity of the form and the care taken with the border work. The effect arises from the silver itself—from the alternation between chased depth and polished surface, without ingredients that distract from it.
Those who wish to get to know the company's handwriting in its simpler form will find it in the rest of our tableware & silver service—where Zaramella is listed alongside other manufactories.
How Signature is used
Most frequently: as serving silver. A tray of approx. 47 × 35 cm carries a carafe and six glasses, a platter of approx. 46 cm holds the cheese selection for eight, the soup plate the first course of a menu. At receptions, the large formats bring twelve filled glasses in one go.
Almost as frequently: as a stationary element. On the sideboard, the console in the entrance, in the center of the table—as a surface on which an arrangement is built and remains. Silver that remains visible ages more beautifully than silver in a cabinet: the raised areas remain bright, the recesses darken, and from this difference arises the depth that distinguishes old tableware.
And finally: as a carrier for an engraving. The smooth center accepts coats of arms, monograms, dedications with dates, or a company logo without them coming into conflict with the ornament. Our guide on the engraving service describes how a logo becomes an engraving.
For whom
For your own table. Anyone building a dinner service over years will find in Signature a design language that can be complemented—a tray and platter of the same line stand next to each other without one overpowering the other. What is not in use stands in the display cabinet or on the sideboard and remains visible.
For people who cannot classify the piece—and yet reach for it. You don't have to be a connoisseur to see that a hand-driven border looks different from a pressed one. Anyone who buys a piece because of its shape will find in every description what it is and why it was built that way. This applies just as much to the ritual pieces: an Eliyahu cup is a beautiful goblet even if you don't know the Seder evening—and it does no harm to understand it.
As a gift for the great occasions. Wedding, silver wedding, golden wedding, milestone birthday, company anniversary. A piece of this size is not consumed, but passed on—and it can be given jointly by several people. Further inspiration can be found in our guide on silver wedding gifts with engraving.
For collectors of Italian silver. Chased work of this density has become rare today because it cannot be replaced by machines. Those looking for craftsmanship will find it here in a line that is still being produced—and in ranges that can be completed: the same cup in five sizes, the same tray in three formats, the same shape once in silver and once partially gold-plated.
For communities and foundations. The large pieces in the line—the cup with approx. 51 cm, the platter with approx. 54.5 cm—are made for rooms, not for dining tables. They are donated, provided with a dedication, and then stand in the same place for decades.
Why such pieces remain
Silver is not consumed. A cup that has been used for blessings at the Sabbath for thirty years is not worn out, but accepted—the recesses have become darker, the raised areas polished bright by countless hands. This is precisely the difference compared to an object that one replaces when it gets old.
That is why these pieces are passed on. At a wedding to the couple who are hosting a holiday for the first time themselves. From grandfather to grandson. From a family to a community. An engraving on the base rim records when that happened—on old cups, several names are often inscribed one below the other, a legacy in lines.
Anyone who buys such a piece today is deciding on something that will still be on a table long after they are gone. That is the real reason for choosing carefully—not the price, but the longevity.
The stages of the line
Signature often offers the same shape in several versions—this is the peculiarity of this line and the reason why it can be collected.
Size. Rectangular trays in three formats, Eliyahu cups in five heights from 23.5 to 51 cm, Seder plates in two diameters. Anyone who buys a second piece from the same range does not get a duplicate, but a gradation—the contour matches, only the dimensions change.
Execution. Several models are available both in a simple version and partially gold-plated, where the raised ornament parts are accentuated with fine gold. The manufactory also carries others as a Light version with a calmer wall. Same shape, different appearance.
Individual piece or set. Cups and plates are kept individually and additionally as a set in a gift box. The advantage of the set lies not in the price, but in the joint production: same silver tone, with gold-plated pieces the same gold application. If you already have the cup, you can buy the plate individually later—both remain permanently available.
Care
By hand with warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft cloth, then dry thoroughly. No dishwasher: cleaning salts attack the surface, and moisture remains in the chased recesses.
Tarnishing silver is not a defect, but a reaction with sulfur in the air. A silver cloth or a mild silver bath restores the shine. Important: the darker depth should remain in the scrolls—it is what gives the ornament its plasticity. Anyone who polishes a chased piece until it is blank removes its design. Detailed instructions are in the guide on the care of silver cutlery and silver tableware.
Frequently asked questions
Is Signature solid silver or silver-plated?
Solid 925 sterling silver—925 parts fine silver per 1,000, the rest provides the necessary hardness. No plating.
What does "chased" mean?
The pattern is driven into the silver by hand with punches, stroke by stroke. Unlike embossing, this creates real depth, and no section is exactly like another.
Can the pieces be engraved?
Yes. The smooth center is designed for this. We provide advice in advance on placement, scale, and technique—with large areas, the size of the engraving determines the effect.
Can food be served directly on it?
Yes, 925 silver was the material for upscale tableware for centuries. For acidic foods, we recommend an intermediate layer and prompt cleaning.
Are the pieces available in different sizes?
We carry several shapes in size ranges—the rectangular trays, for example, in approx. 39 × 28, 47 × 35, and 53 × 40 cm. The respective dimensions are stated for each piece.
Is the line still growing in the shop?
Trays, platters, vessels, candlesticks, candelabras, and the Judaica assortment including the Hanukkiah are already available. We will add individual candelabra versions as soon as reliable product images from the manufacturer are available.
What is the difference between a candelabra and a Hanukkiah?
The arrangement of the arms. A Hanukkiah carries eight lights at one height and a ninth elevated—the Shamash. A candelabra distributes its arms equally around the shaft, even if there are nine.
Does Judaica belong to the same line?
Yes—and it is the larger part of it. A large part of the pieces are ritual implements, made in the same technique and design language as the trays. The overview is in the category Judaica in 925 silver.
Do you have to be an expert to buy here?
No. Every description explains what the piece is and why it was built that way—even for people who do not know the occasion and are purchasing a piece because of its shape.
Is it delivered in gift packaging?
Yes, every piece comes in high-quality packaging from the manufacturer, ready to be presented.
At a glance
- ✦ 925 sterling silver, solid
- ✦ Borders entirely chased by hand—acanthus, palmette, shell
- ✦ Smooth, ornament-free center as an engraving surface
- ✦ Zaramella Argenti, Padua—manufactory since 1948
- ✦ Pure Italian silver form—effect through chasing and polishing
- ✦ Judaica as a focus—cups, plates, and sets for Sabbath and Passover
- ✦ Size ranges for complementing: the same cup in five heights, the same tray in three formats
- ✦ Engraving possible, SilberVerse card free upon request
You might also be interested in
The entire assortment can be found in tableware & silver service. Sorted by product group, you can go to silver trays and carafes & pitchers. Those interested in the craft will find the larger context in the guide Silver Cutlery—A Touch of Luxury for the Table. The article Silver at the Jewish Table explains how these objects are connected and why they look the way they do.
