Silver Foil Collection

Beaker, Germany, 1814. Creator: Samuel Mohn
Beaker, Germany, 1814

Apollo 13 Astronauts Practice Moonwalk at KSC, Florida, USA, 1970. Creator: NASA
Apollo 13 Astronauts Practice Moonwalk at KSC, Florida, USA, 1970. Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell and Fred W. Haise, Jr. during practice moonwalk at Kennedy Space Center

Standing Shield, German, Erfurt, possibly early 14th century. Creator: Unknown
Standing Shield, German, Erfurt, possibly early 14th century

Standing Shield, German, Erfurt, 1385-87. Creator: Unknown
Standing Shield, German, Erfurt, 1385-87

Infantry Shield (Pavise), Bohemian, possibly Chomutov (now Czech Republic), ca. 1450

Seventy-two Peaks Blue Sky 1785 Matsumura Goshun
Seventy-two Peaks Against the Blue Sky, 1785. Matsumura Goshun (Japanese, 1752-1811). Eight-panel folding screen, ink with gold and silver foil on paper; image

Baked potato semi-wrapped in silver foil, filled cheese and topped with chives, close up

Three vegetarian kebabs, high angle view

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From the beakers of 1814 Germany, where Samuel Mohn discovered silver foil's reflective properties, to the moon's surface in 1970 where Apollo 13 astronauts practiced with it for their moonwalk, a rich history. Its mirror-like reflectiveness was used in ancient German shields, such as the Standing Shields from Erfurt, dating back to the early 14th century. Fast forward to the 18th century, and it became a popular ingredient in Japanese art, as seen in Matsumura Goshun's Seventy-two Peaks Blue Sky painting. Today, silver foil is still a staple in modern kitchens, used to wrap baked potatoes or add a touch of elegance to vegetarian kebabs. Yet, its uses extend beyond the mundane, as seen in the medical field where it is used in intravenous drug administration, such as this mockup of a heroin addict's setup.