I would like to reinforce Kathy's warning. Plated objects have a LIMITED number of polishings that are possible over their lifetimes. Once the silver is worn away, which usually occurs unevenly, exposing patches of the base metal, the object is essentially ruined, unless re-plating can be considered ethically acceptable. So, they are ideal candidates for a protective coating application after careful polishing. This could last 50-100 years, depending upon the ambient atmospheric conditions, and could eliminate the need for a dozen or more polishings. Instructions for coating metals are available on the web, or a it can be referred to a conservator for professional application.
Marc
American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
4 Rockville Road
Broad Brook, CT 06016
www.conservator.com
860-386-6058
*Collections Preservation Consultation
*Conservation Assessments & Surveys
*Environmental Monitoring & Low-Tech Control
*Moisture Management Solutions
*Collections in Historic Structures
*Collections Care Grant Preparation
*Conservation Treatment of:
Furniture
Painted Wood
Horse-Drawn Vehicles
Architectural Interiors
Decorative Objects & Folk Art
Marc A. Williams, President
MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
Former Chief Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
----- Original Message -----
From: Kathy Haas
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 4:08 PM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Cleaning Silver
We’ve had good luck with the calcium carbonate method described in the conserve-o-gram. However I’d like to add an additional note of caution, since you mention this is a silver-plated trophy, not solid. The amount of silver on plated wares varies tremendously based on how much was initially applied and how much has worn/been polished away over the years. The last thing you want is to polish away the silver layer and expose the base metal below. So take a good look before you start to see if the silver is already worn away in any areas and in general go very lightly with the carbonate.
Kathy Haas
Katherine Haas
Assistant Curator
Rosenbach Museum & Library
2008 Delancey Pl.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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