Abacus
Antique Dealers: Tips For Getting The Best From
Antique Silver
Antique
silverware is without a doubt one of the most beautiful
aspects of antique collecting, a set of antique cutlery
gleaming in their case is a wonderful and beautiful
sight to behold. However in order to keep them looking
that way great care and time has to be spent taking
care of them and polishing them to perfection is without
a doubt one sure way of achieving this.
To
start with when it comes to buying antique silverware
then there is a quick and easy tip that you can use
to determine the secrets behind the silverware. Simply
breath on the item and this can unfold a whole wealth
of information.
Your
breath will cause the piece to mist up and this will
reveal a whole lot of secrets if any are to be found.
Things to look for when using the breath test include
repairs that have been made to the piece, joints and
patches in the silver.
Say
for instance new material has been added to the piece
such as a coat of arms welded onto the piece, breathing
on it can reveal this and is a dead give away if anything
is not right.
Another
good tip when buying is to rely on the use of your
fingertips, running your fingertips all over the piece
can reveal any minor imperfections and flaws within
the piece that the naked eye cannot see. In particular
pay attention to the bowls of spoons and notice how
thick the silver is in this spot, this can tell you
a lot about the condition of the silver in general.
When
it comes to cleaning the silverware you should be
aware that however careful you are when cleaning you
will always remove a very slight layer from the silverware.
This is why it is imperative that you use the least
abrasive materials when cleaning and the very best
quality silver polish. Items that are recommended
when it comes to cleaning silverware included cotton
wool, sponges, cotton buds, soft cloth and silver
foam or liquid polish.
Once
you have cleaned your silverware to shiny perfection
then usually all that is needed to keep them looking
good is a very light dusting with a soft clean cloth
and the occasional rinse in hot soapy water. It is
essential that after you have washed the items in
hot water that you remove the soap residue and then
ensure that the silver is dried thoroughly before
storing away.
You
should always be very careful when using a proprietary
brand of silver dip, this is sold for cleaning silverware
but it is mainly used for ornate pieces for getting
into all the nooks and crannies. However continual
use of silver dip can cause erosion of the silver
and can also lead to softening the ornate designs
on the silverware. If you must use it then use it
with caution and only when really needed.
When
it comes to buying antique silverware then always
buy from a reputable dealer who has experience in
silverware and learn as much as you possibly can about
silverware in general before going in too deeply.
