For hundreds of years, the artisans and silversmiths of Italy have created some of the finest sterling silver pieces made anywhere in the world. Whether the pieces were personal accessories, or objects made for the home, the levels of detail and craftsmanship that went into every design was without parallel. When we first launched our gift collection, Monica made a trip to Florence, Italy where she met many artisans working in sterling silver. The techniques that they used included hand engraving, enameling and literally the crafting of entire pieces by hand. One of the collections that emerged from Monica's visits was our collection of sterling silver frames. These precious frames had a long history as wedding gifts, anniversary gifts or just meaningful gifts to mark a special moment, so Monica was excited to bring her own sensibility to a product with such a rich heritage. In our lives today, we have more photographs than ever before at our fingertips. But truly at our fingertips. The number of photos on each of our phones is almost endless, and many are waiting for the moment to emerge from our devices into the light of day. It is a special moment to print an image from our photo library and find a special place for it within our homes. Whether the image is color or black & white, the crisp reflection of a silver frame provides the perfect home for that image. Beyond photos, we've always loved the idea of words and text in a frame. A beautifully framed love note, favorite quotation, or inspirational passage can all create an object of empowerment on a private tabletop or in a more public work space. One of the lingering questions with sterling silver frames has always been “do they need to be polished?” All of the frames in the Monica Rich Kosann collection are lacquered, so polishing is never needed. For more information about our sterling silver frames please contact us at concierge@monicarichkosann.com.