Super Shiny Silver and How to Keep it That Way

Second to gold (and maybe platinum), silver is probably the most popular precious metal and has been coveted by humans for a millennium. Why do we love silver? Because it can be used functionally AND it is super shiny which, let’s be real, all people love. The one drawback – keeping it that way.

First a little history. Interestingly enough, although now silver is easily affordable, this was not always the case. Back a couple hundred of years, silver was comparatively rare. It was only with the discovery and exploitation of silver mines in the Americas that silver became affordable to the middle classes and rose steeply in popularity.

Drawing of a silver mine in Nevada, circa 1889

As silver has historically been used for both decorative and functional purposes, in order to strengthen the metal it has been combined with other alloys such as copper, zinc or nickel. Pure silver would be too soft for regular use. Unfortunately, while it can be made more durable, silver is always prone to tarnishing (if you have read our previous blog on tarnishing on gold gilded fine china you may already know what tarnishing is all about).

A hundred years ago the wealthy families who owned silver had, in some cases, a fleet of servants ready to keep all silver polished. Now you’re probably doing this all by yourself. But don't be disheartened there are simple ways to keep it shiny and tarnish free. 

Prevention!

Sulfur is your greatest enemy when caring for silver. It is very corrosive and it is sneakily emitted by seemingly innocuous things. Eggs, fruit, some waters, the air, all contain/produce sulfur! In fact the first step to caring for your silver and making less work for yourself is keeping you silver in a cabinet, cupboard or box which closes securely enough to block airflow. Airborne sulfurs are produced by the burning of fossil fuels, and products found in our very homes like carpet padding, foam rubbers, and paints even wood or felt. If silver is exposed gradual tarnishing is inevitable. Handling your silver will also cause it to tarnish, thanks to the oily salts from our skin.

Prevention doesn't just stop there. If you keep your silver in a cabinet made of wood it should be sealed completely with at least two coats of some type of polyurethane. The polyurethane will protect the silver from the acids in the wood.

Flatware is generally stored in chests that are lined with silvercloth. This fabric is imbued with tiny silver particles that absorb sulfurs. Silvercloth can be obtained in various sizes, as bags and linings. Perhaps not a bad investment if you have a lot of silver. Do NOT store your silver in cheap plastic bags (zip-lock bags are actually ok) or cardboard boxes with things like tissue paper. Cheaply made products often release harmful gases and acids.

Cleaning

If you do notice your silver tarnishing the first indication will be a yellowish cast. Silver is much easier to clean in the earlier stages of tarnishing so it is a good idea to take care of it then, before it has a chance to get worse. Once you see that your silver has begun browning, or in the worst cases the black stage (bad), cleaning becomes a little tougher. Clean your silver regularly and it will save you time and effort in the end!

Examples of tarnishing

Flatware and other silver that needs to be washed after use should not be put it in the dishwasher. When you wash your silver you should also be careful to use a mild, phosphate free soap. Normal dish soaps can leave brown stains. Rubber gloves are also out, as they emit sulfurs. Don’t leave your silver to air dry, this will cause spotting, use soft fabric like flannel or cotton. Some recommend the use of a cloth with a cleaning agent built in such as Silver Butler cloth.

Tiffany & Co. Silver and ivory tea set. Left to right: creamer, sugar bowl, teapot., 1877

Cleaning off tarnishing, aka polishing, is done through use of an abrasive. It is important to use an abrasive that is safe to use on silver, brand name polishes will usually do the trick. Many of these will come with a foam sponge or horse hair brush that are delicate enough not to damage the finish. Paper towels and toothbrushes are too rough and can scratch the silver. After applying the silver cleaner gently massage it in with small circles. Basically, be as delicate as possible when cleaning to avoid any extra damage to the surface.

If your silver is really tarnished (the black stage), things can be a little more complicated. Miracle dips may look good on TV but in reality they can degrade the finish and discolor your silver. The Bishop Museum recommends Hagerty Dip or Goddard’s SD but they should be used with great care. If left in the dip for too long the silver can become pitted. If you really value your silver it is probably a good idea to take it to a trustworthy jewelry or silver shop in your area.

Just be careful and diligent and you’ll be slurping out of a shiny silver spoon in no time. 

Piano Restoration: A Sound Investment

When you own something as melodiously beautiful and expensive as a Steinway piano there are factors to be aware of in the event of water damage. From a pipe leak to hurricane Sandy, OTE appraisers have found that water and moisture are among the most common and harmful types of damage to pianos.  Piano cases are made of wood and are particularly susceptible but then so are most of the parts:  the felts, keys, soundboard, pin-block, tuning pins and strings, etc. Prolonged exposure to water can even lead to corrosion and rust in the metal components.

There is, however, a solution. When Alanna Butera, an OTE specialist appraiser, visited the original Steinway factory in Queens, she saw firsthand how Steinway pianos are built and restored.   

Steinway Grand Piano,   Photo: © Copyright Steinway & Sons via Wikimedia Commons

Steinway & Sons, one of America’s leading piano manufactures, was founded in 1853 by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway who began as a master cabinet maker.  By 1900 the factory had moved to Long Island City in Queens which is still in operation today and where pianos are built and repairs take place.

A Steinway Grand Piano can take over a year to build through handcrafting. Not only does a Steinway piano produce beautiful music, it is an excellent investment.   According to Reuters: “A 10 year old Steinway in good condition, usually sells for about 75 percent of the current retail price, which goes up about 4 percent each year;” that’s a lot better than your car. Steinway even issues a five year warranty on their repaired pianos, the same warranty they give to new pianos.

From an appraisal standpoint, a damaged Steinway piano repaired by Steinway can be valued at 85% of the current retail price of a new one. But restoration isn’t cheap. In our experience the cost for a restoration caused by water damage is approximately $30,000 to $40,000 for a single grand piano.

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Close up of a piano in progress at the Steinway factory

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A peak into Steinway's factory in Queens

On the positive side, what our appraiser observed at the Steinway factory is that you can be certain time and care is taken in restoration efforts.  When Steinway restores pianos they keep the cast iron block and original case, barring any extensive damage to either. They then refinish, re-guild and replace all the hardware with Steinway parts, entirely by hand. Steinway still continues to provide hand rubbed finishes. To maintain the value of a Steinway piano, restoration and replacements should be done solely by Steinway, using only their authentic parts. Steinway restorations come with a certificate, so if you are thinking of selling make sure to hold onto it. 

Steinway calls their pianos a “sound investment” and we happen to agree.

Gold, Fine China, and the Truth About Tarnishing

Have you ever wondered what the word “gilding” means? It’s an ultra-sensitive and very beautiful decorative treatment that turns a surface into gold without actually creating something made of gold.

Gilding generally refers to the liquid gold applied through paint or other techniques to porcelain and other ceramics. The good news is that it looks lustrous and lovely when first applied.  The bad news is that it shows wear when used frequently and is sensitive to its environment. In fact, after working with a recent client an O’Toole-Ewald appraiser found that it doesn't always require heavy usage to cause distress to gilding and that the saying that gold never tarnishes can be disproven.

Porcelain saucer with gilding

About 20 years ago the client bought a beautiful bone china set decorated with extensive and intricate gilding. It had been placed in storage and when she recently retrieved it from the box in which it had been resting for two decades she found that the 24 carat gilding had taken on a red/black discoloration. Tarnishing film often looks red or black in appearance depending on what base metal is used, copper or silver respectively. However, it is extremely rare for high carats of gold to tarnish, so this case was at first a bit of a mystery.

While pure gold is not susceptible to tarnishing, almost all gold is mixed with some small percentage of other alloys, which can be vulnerable to tarnishing would only seen below 14 carats. In some cases 14 and 18 carats or even occasionally higher carats can tarnish, but it is extremely rare in gold as high as 24 carats.

If the base metals, in particular copper or silver, are exposed to corrosive agents, especially sulfur and oxygen compounds, tarnishing is entirely possible. Moisture, perspiration, perfumes, how you wash it, the water in which it is washed and even some foodstuffs can be responsible for the corrosion of gilding. But because the china in this case had never been used, it was unlikely that any of these were the culprits.

Through expertise, persistence and considerable in-depth research, OTE was able to determine the prolonged exposure to the organic sulfur containing compounds in the storage bags, in combination to the oxygen and sulfur in the atmosphere, had caused the gilding to discolor. The damage was determined to be inherent vice resulting from the chemical reaction of the gilding in its storage containers.

 This case is a rarity. In India and the Middle East, especially, there have been more incidents of the tarnishing of higher carat gold, which appears to be a problem more specifically linked to the region. In Europe and North America tarnishing in higher carats of gold is much more unusual. In the past 30 years, there has been only one other instance, filed with the manufacturer of this china, of red and copper discoloration occurring on the gilding. Without the persistent research efforts of OTE appraisers combined with scientific sleuthing, this case may not have been solved.