posted on November 5, 2001 09:29:59 AM new
I have two Gorham silver plated wine coasters that are pretty tarnished.
Should I list them as is or should I clean them before I list.
Is patina as important on silver as other items?
When your at the end of your rope:
Tie a knot and hang on!
posted on November 5, 2001 09:35:27 AM new
I would like to know the answer to.
I have a 1920's silver necklace.
I have put off listing it because I do not know if I should clean it or not.
So what about it - any siver experts or silver sellers out there willing to give us some advice?
posted on November 5, 2001 10:34:41 AM new
Hello,
I have sold several items of silver and silver plate and I never clean them unless it is just in the area to get the mark to show up to show who made it.Or it is so black that you can not see the design. Then I do a light job.
I find that most buyers like to clean themselves as us novices can mess it up!
posted on November 5, 2001 11:16:23 AM new
You really should clean because the silver could be worn or flaking off and buyers would be upset to find that out later.
Use a mild polish and soft sponge (usually comes with the cleaner) - it's really not that much work. I doubt you would be able to sell them tarnished to begin with since they don't look appealing that way and also buyers might be afraid of what is under the tarnish. I love silver and buy a lot, so that's my view!
posted on November 5, 2001 02:24:45 PM new
JMHO but, I think any metal item should be cleaned before listing. This uncovers any surprises and definitely gets better bids.
posted on November 5, 2001 03:34:32 PM new
It's o.k. to clean most silver, but be very careful when it comes to brass, copper or bronze. I never clean those items and explain in my description that I don't want to disturb the patina. I leave that decision up to the buyer.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on November 6, 2001 02:23:08 PM new
I've been selling silverplate on eBay for a couple of years, and I always clean my offerings before photographing them. First, I then know about any hidden damage or plate loss. Second, they look 1000% better (and bring higher bids). You don't have to be a "pro" to do this right, and your buyers will appreciate you for it.
I use Wenol, which is an all-purpose metal polish sold in auto supply stores. I've also heard lots of recommendations for Simichrome (same kind of stuff). The silver polish you buy in the supermarket works well on "normal" tarnish (like what you get between uses of grandma's otherwise clean silver), but takes too much effort when the item is really tarnished.
I rarely use the silver dip like Hagerty's. It's very harsh on true antiques, and you still have to polish the item afterwards to bring up any sort of shine. I do use it very briefly on small silver jewelry that is hard to hand-clean, then use a silver polishing cloth (jeweler's rouge cloth) to get a nice shine. I will also use it on plated items that are so terribly tarnished or stained that it's either Hagerty's or the dump. It does cut through a lot of gunk that would take an hour to remove by hand.
I don't sell other metals, so I don't know about the rules for patina. But on silver, it's just plain old tarnish, and it looks terrible.
posted on November 8, 2001 12:13:48 PM new
We will not sell any silver that has not been cleaned and polished. My system is to first wash the item in soapy ammonia water. This should get rid of any crud. For large pieces, I use Haggerty's spray. Smaller items go on the buffing wheel. The spray smells horrible, so I do this outside. Spray and let dry to a nice pink, then rub with an old soft rag. The spray does give a nice patina and removes most tarnish. Only then can you discover if there is lacquer or something else on it. I have bought things on eBay that turned out to have an old lacquer which had turned black. Getting this off is agony. But then there are things with heat shrunk saran wrap or acrylic floor wax on them. These are a real problem. If you are not going to polish, at least rinse food residue off. Recently got some flatware with dried food on it. Gross! If all else fails, take it to a car wash and put oven cleaner on. The high pressure hose can clean off most anything.
Without polishing, how can you state or guarantee condition? However, it is easier to photo details when the item is tarnished: just grayscale for your auction. I always think that putting up unpolished silver is like putting up dirty dishes. Polishing silver is work, but not that hard. And you never know what lurks under the tarnish. Dale and Joan
posted on November 8, 2001 12:24:39 PM new
Haggarty's spray would work well on the necklace. It does not leave as much residue as simichrome or other pastes. Use the old soft cloth (old washed gym socks are great) and then wash and rinse in hot water with Ivory soap with a little ammonia. Dry with a soft towel. Always use soft fabrics when cleaning silver as stiff cloth can scratch. If you deal in a lot of jewelry, get a rouge cloth and just rub the item before shipping. Rouge cloths cost less than $5.00 at jewelery supply stores.
We usually photo and scan before we polish as silver is so relfective that we get a glare. Then we polish to see the silver's condition. Use gray scale o really show what it is like. Also, when photographing any large reflective item, wear clothes. Unless you are an exhibitionist. Cheers, Dale and Joan
