Aluminum

Aluminum was more expensive than gold or silver until the 1850s. Jewelry and other small objects were made of the valuable metal until 1914, when an inexpensive smelting process was invented. When chemists discovered how to refine bauxite to get aluminum. In 1900, aluminum became cheaper and some thought it was poisonous and contaminated food. By 1910, companies were making aluminum cooking pots and aluminum pieces became a popular wedding gift in the 1920s. Hand-hammered aluminum and modern pieces made by industrial designers like Russel Wright and Lurelle Guild are popular. For more information, explore our identification guides for hammered aluminum, spun aluminum, Lurelle Guild, and other metalcraft.