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Antique silver sale and auctions in the
Antique Web!
Antique Silver
part 2
part 1
by Sarah Manners
Caring for your Silver
Looking after antiques is the most important
part in owning them. They need to be taken
care of properly to ensure that they remain
valuable, attractive and collectable.
Whether your silver is modern or antique it
is very important to take proper care of it
as it's value and beauty are prized. Always
maintain your silver with a non-abrasive
cleaner. Every time you buff and polish you
remove a fine layer. Over the years such
treatment removes hallmarks and eventually
removes the silver plated surface. Museums
use an electrolytic process which is quite
harmless. These are available for domestic
use and remove tarnish in seconds.
Tarnishing (oxidization) occurs when silver
is exposed to the air. Items that are not
for display like cutlery can be kept
airtight in a drawer wrapped in a cloth -
otherwise they will need cleaning each time
you use them.
Storing Silver
When storing silver the best way to keep it
safe from harmful sulphur in the air is to
seal it in an air tight container. This said
it is not always practical to store your
pieces in such containers. In cases like
this a sachet containing activated charcoal
can help to reduce tarnishing significantly.
Activated charcoal is effectively an air
scrubber which removes pollutants like
sulphur from the air around your silver. It
is also a good idea to keep a bag of
activated charcoal in your display cases or
jewelry box. Charcoal can only absorb a
certain amount of sulphur before it becomes
ineffective so sachets must be replaced at
least once a year. After prolonged storage,
your silver will need to be cleaned, but if
stored correctly it will be a far less
daunting task. Don't use ordinary newspaper
to wrap the silver or use elastic bands to
bind several pieces together. After a while
the rubber will bond to the silver as the
band deteriorates and rots, leaving a stain,
as will newspaper. Instead, use acid-free
paper to wrap items and store where it's not
damp.
Appreciating your Silver
To ensure that your items of silver remain
in the best possible condition whether they
are antique or modern pieces it is
imperative that they are cleaned and stored
correctly. Silver crafts are valued works of
art that should be treasured. Hold on to
pieces of silver and treat them well, it
will only add to their value in later years.
About the Author
Caring for your antiques is the most
important part in owning them but this
doesn't need to be as hard as it sounds. The
Qwicksilver company have patented a
non-abrasive electrolytic cleaning plate
that quickly removes tarnish under water in
your sink. They also offer advice on proper
care of your antiques.
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