Featured Art Nouveau (?) Necklace Stamped Brass and Green Speckled Glass

It does also clean the glass nicely. Yeah, not to be used on foiled stones. I uses any old cheap vinegar, works fine.

 

Fabulous necklace, Wenna. I think you got a beauty! First thought was Italian, and AJ's is so similar!

I'm very conservative with cleaning. Would hesitate soaking this in liquid if any of those glass pieces are glued in. I can't tell from the photo --are the small round glass stones on the pendant set or glued? If they might be glued, I would not soak.

 

be careful not to et is soak in vinegar too long, no loges than 20 or 30 minutes or you will be sorry!

 

Are there any metals that don't like vinegar?

 

I've had Japanese speckled glass beads that looked a little like the ones in the necklace, but my beads were round and brightly colored, and much more modern looking.

 

On this thread, I soaked it for only about 2 minutes partly because I just wanted it brightened not looking like new and partly because I lost my nerve. I test patched it and watched it like a hawk. The split second it touched the vinegar the colour changed. I properly learned my lesson about being carefully with what touches old jewellery though as the 'safe' water bath destroyed the discs attached to it. Fortunately a happy ending as it's much better without them.
Thankyou @Any Jewelry for the warning about the Rhinestones as I picked up a sweet little tennis bracelet yesterday that I think is quite old and those gems are foil backed. I'll do another(sorry) thread of my finds later when I've brought my ponies into their stables. They are currently doing kite impressions round the field. I may be some time........
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/glass-and-metal-disc-necklace-czech.46929/

Edit- Sorry, I forgot to add the answer to the question!
I was warned not to use vinegar on anything with plate loss as it may leave black spots in those areas. It's a wizz at removing verdigris though!. I used it undiluted.

 

I use a white vinegar bath on gold filled pieces, without stones, that have green in the crevices. Sometimes I soak for quite a long time, but I do check it regularly to make sure nothing bad is happening. I have had chains that have green embedded in every little link. Something like that I will soak for days, changing out the vinegar several times, and eventually the chain comes clean. I have not had anything where the patina gets ruined, but I would be very careful with any long soaks, and I have not used it to soak anything other than gold filled pieces.

 

I start with a couple of minutes, and see what happens.

I have washed foiil back stuff but only in soapy water, not vinegar and briefly at that, then hair dryer. Window cleaner spray on a cotton bud works well.

 

Bear, the foil backing doesn't deteriorate immediately, it happens over time. So if foil backed rhinestones get wet, even if dried with a hair dryer, they will most likely be dead as a result. I never, ever get them wet. I clean them with a soft toothbrush barely damp with rubbing alcohol to only get the tops, then dry with a hair dryer. The alcohol evaporates quickly so it is safer than water or Windex plus it does a great job cleaning off old, built up hair spray

 

Alcohol is my absolute favourite.... when cleaning jewellery.
I also use it to clean layers of old oil off keris blades, but that is an entirely different story.

 

Ma used gin to clean jewellery. It did not get wasted afterwards.

 

Vinegar is too acidic to use on silver if you don't get it washed off properly.
I only use vinegar for household cleaning. It kills germs as well or better than bleach.

I prefer ammonia and water, then Dawn.

Should add:
Swish don't soak and dry immediately.

 

What a cool piece! Love it!
Leslie