128. Tula Silver Dress Cane-Ca. 1900-Sizeable and well-proportioned Tula silver crook handle with flattened sides decorated in the Art Nouveau taste with blooms within various framing elements. Ebony shaft and a white metal ferrule. The cane is in good condition spare for minor indents totally in keeping with its age and use and does not in any way decrease its beauty or function.-H. 4” x 2 ¾”, O.L. 34 ½”-Tula, also called Niello is an alloy made of silver, lead and copper adding a certain amount of sulphur. This mixture creates the typical grayish- black enamel like filling. Tula’s melting point (approximately 500 °C) is significantly below that of silver at 800 °C. In order to bring the Tula on to the silver, a pattern must be etched, engraved or cut out of the work piece leaving gaps. Using an open flame or oven, these gaps are then filled with the melted Tula. Obviously, because this process is very difficult and time consuming, this Caucasian specialty is today almost extinguished.