Caring for Antique Silver

No one enjoys polishing silver. The smell, the mess, and the amount of time it takes to

clean and polish silver are all negative aspects of the process, but as holidays approach,

it is a necessary ritual should you plan to entertain with or display silver. I was raised in a

large family, and each child had specific chores when preparing for a holiday or

celebration- my chore was cleaning the silver. It was probably my first real exposure to

antiques- most of my parents’ silver collection had been passed down through the

family for generations. As I polished away, I became curious not only about the marks

on the silver, but also the armorials, inscriptions, and monograms- I wondered about the

makers of these articles, the people who purchased them, and how they were actually

used. Soon the laborious nature of cleaning and polishing became tolerable. Over the

years, I learned what to do, and more importantly, what NOT to do when cleaning,

polishing, and preserving silver.

Here are a few lessons learned:

Cleaning should be done on a regular basis and consists of dusting with a light brush

such as an artist’s sable brush, and gently rubbing with a soft cloth to remove light dirt

and fingerprints. Silver can also be rinsed in hot, soapy water and then thoroughly dried

and buffed with a soft cloth. You can also use a hairdryer to effectively dry silver,

however, maintain a distance of at least 10 inches, and avoid pointing towards wood or

ivory handles.

Be aware that some foods such as eggs, Brussels sprouts, vinegar, and salt all tarnish

silver very quickly and should be cleaned as soon as possible.

Polishing uses abrasives to remove tarnish; every time tarnish forms and is polished

away, a portion of the original surface is lost. Many recommend using a soft paste such

as Wright’s Silver Cream, Goddard’s Silver Polish Foam, or Hagerty Silver Foam. Avoid

dipping solutions, and when using polish, rub very gently.

Pay attention to the finish on the silver object. Matte finishes obviously should not be

shiny after polishing. Niello is a black compound of sulfur with silver, lead, or copper,

used for filling in engraved designs in silver or other metals; excessive polishing can

remove this inlay. An item that is silver gilt (also called vermeil) is gilded silver produced

either by the fire-gilding method or by electrolysis. This thin layer can also be removed

by over-enthusiastic polishing.

Should the item have a wood or ivory handle, definitely do not use silver polish, but

rather an oil-based paste wax to nourish the wood and simple soap and water for

cleaning. Remember to dry thoroughly as wood is porous and can possibly expand and

contract with changes in humidity.

Storage is very important in minimizing tarnish. Tarnish occurs when sulfur compounds

in the atmosphere, principally hydrogen sulfide, chemically react with the silver. Silver

cloth is a flannel material impregnated with microscopic silver or zinc particles that

actually absorb tarnishing agents before it reaches the silver objects, and can easily be

purchased in bag-form or in fabric bolts.

If the silver is stored in a humid area (such as Florida), packets of silica beads should be

included, and should be replaced every three months.

Never store silver in plastic bags, newsprint, packing paper, cardboard, paper towels, and

rubber bands. The amount of acidity and sulfur contained in many of these can

accelerate tarnishing.