Comments and advice for silver-plated candlesticks, please.

I have three Gorham silver-plate candlesticks. Identical - Greek columns, Corinthian capital. One is "sans bobeche." Two made in 1912, the other 1913.

No picture. They are in one of the cases I have in an antique shop. You may click to see one of several on eBay for ID. Note the intricate detail because I’m asking about cleaning.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-2-Go...3207-10-1-4-/252073756295?hash=item3ab0c44687

Mine are silver plate, or, as Gorham labeled, EP. My problem is with cleaning/polishing. Possibly because of their history?They spent about 40 years wintering in the garage, not heated but attached and not frozen. Spring, summer and fall they relaxed 24 hours a day outside on the deck furniture. One day I noticed the markings and decided to check them out. Found four recent sales at $100 each, so replaced them with other old glass and brass candlestick holders and tried to prepare them for sale.

Our silver polish varied between Wrights and Weiman. The candlesticks didn’t get very clean after much work with polish and toothbrushes, Q-tips, etc. I also tried – and this is only after accepting what many others told me – Ultrabrite tooth paste. (It worked great on sterling items.) Almost tried a bottle of heavy duty silver cleaner, but the label warned not to use on antique silver, plate or sterling. Finally gave up and put the candlesticks in the antiques store As-Is. Still there. So much for Antique Road Show advice that most buyers want to do their own restoration.

They are not worth having commercially silvered. I have used modest amounts of gilt on such as lightly worn picture frames. Is there a comparable silver product you would recommend for these candlesticks? Or would you consider them beyond salvage due to their outside exposure?

 

Definitely beyond salvage. I'll be happy to dispose of them for you.

 

Thanks, silverthwait. You're offer is very welcome.
I'm sure they couldn't find a better home. ​

Send me your address.

Sorry to have to ask for postage.

They're heavy, but promise it won't be over $200 USD, Priority AND insurance.

 

good non abrasive clean put in bowl with wash soda crystals and aluminium foil add hot water , chemical reaction will remove all tarnish / grime

 

The toothpaste treatment was not a great idea, although I can sympathize with your frustration, Old Guy. Given what those poor sticks have been through, there may not be any silver left to reveal via Martin's suggestion.

 

Pink and turquoise spray paint

 

Terry -- you've seen that Victorian down the street from me??!!

 

I was thinking the same thing, only mine is magenta. They may be down to the white metal, in which case no amount of polishing is going to do much good.

 

Thanks, all, for the responses. You have confirmed what I thought.

As for the baking soda and toothpaste comments, I'm a bit undecided. Some have made convincing arguments with opposite conclusions. "Baking soda and aluminum will do a good job but will remove more silver than any other method." "Mild toothpaste can be gentler on silver than most silver polishes."

I'm also thinking I will experiment with the magenta, pink and turquoise on the bobeche absent one. Perhaps add a sunshine yellow and/or deep red. The winners will go on the complete sticks which shall appear on eBay as
Genuine Early American Faux Victorian Extremely RARE Vintage Candlesticks.

Anyone want to wager they will attract at least 22 bids and have 114 watchers?

 

LOL!

 

Well, you could "gussy up" that "title" for the candlesticks just a bit by adding a few ***, &&&, !!!, %%% and some .

 

Nah....that would be overkill !

 

L@@K! L@@K!

 

ERK!!!

 

Yourturn.
Did you mean
Genuine Early&#@qAmerican Faux^*%!!ICKtorian Extremely RARE e_)^@*)&Vintage Candlesticks???

 

TheOLdGuy, thank goodness you have a sense of humor.

Love your "ICK"torian.