Any information provided here is primarily based on my experience. While I can't guarantee you will obtain the same results, the various procedures should work for you if you follow the precautions before attempting them. For example, determine the type of finish that currently exists before starting any procedure. Always determine the stability the existing finish. If is flaking, it is unstable and either needs to be left alone on a valuable item, or amalgamated or removed if it is a piece that will have a greater value if restored and refinished.

This brings up a very important issue. TV programs such as the Antiques Road Show increase people's awareness that not everything should be restored, and that in cases of valuable items, it will decrease the value considerably. Now, the hard question to answer-what should you leave "as is"? If you are in doubt, contact an expert, knowing that he may charge you several hundred dollars to evaluate the piece. If you buy regularly from a knowledgeable antiques dealer, he may give you an opinion for little or no cost. If the item is one you see at most antique shows and shops, you can bet it is safe to restore it yourself. If it is something you've never seen, and you don't want to hire an appraiser, look for it on the internet and at the public library.

I can tell you some things I don't think you should strip and refinish. These would be furniture with its original paint, even if it is almost half missing. Usually these will be primitive items such as pie safes, cupboards,tables and chairs. Also, the wood beneath the paint will most often be pine, poplar or a mixture of woods.

CLEANING YOUR ANTIQUES AND NEW TREASURES

            by Larry Lafary

Before you can safely clean or maintain any item, you need to know its composition.

METALLIC ITEMS Don't polish any metal, for example, until you know whether it is solid, plated, silver, brass, copper, etc. Using the wrong substance and/or technique could ruin your item forever.  For example, polishing a Dick Van Erp copper lamp would remove thousands of dollars of its value. The same holds true for some metal vases, almost all metal statues, bronzes, clocks, desk sets, inkwells and many other items. Never clean or polish metal items that have a patina (patina is the darkened color and maybe greenish oxidized surface) until you know their value. They are supposed to look this way. Carefully check the item for marks and then do a little on-line research of the item. How do you determine the material? For metals, begin with a magnet. If the magnet doesn't stick, you may have solid brass, pewter, or copper. Britannia and spelter are two metals used in less expensive 100 year old clock figures and large metallic figures that also aren't attracted to a magnet, but don't clean them either. If the metal is plated, the magnet is  likely to stick, because the plating is adhered to an alloy that often includes iron. You should also be looking for hallmarks, which sometimes indicate the material, and may give you the identity of the manufacturer. You can then look up the manufacturer and find out what materials they produced. Use a soft cloth such as an old tee shirt to dust off the item and remove any dirt so you can check for identifying marks. I like to use the dusting cloths such as Swifter as they readily attract the dust rather than just move it around. Do not rub too hard with them, as they do make good polishing cloths and may rub off some of the patina. Remember, no hard rubbing and never use anything abrasive such as steel wool, scotch brite pads or metal polishes. Plated items such as silver can also be easily damaged and devalued by cleaning too aggressively. Never use a chemical "dip" for copper and silver cleaning. They remove the tarnish from the detail and can be damaging to the item. The dark contrast due to the oxidation, whether man-made or natural, highlights the patterns or engravings. If the item has a buildup of kitchen grease or smoke film on it, wash gently in a mild, no phosphate soap, then rinse in warm water and pat dry with a clean, soft cloth.

SILVERWARE

The first rule is to wash your silverware frequently with a non-phosphate soap. Frequent washing will delay tarnishing. If your silverware tarnishes, clean it with a non-abrasive cleaner. NEVER place silverware in a dishwasher. Jeffrey Herman is a specialist in the care and restoration of silver. Here is a link to his site, which goes into the proper care of silver in detail.

http://www.silversmithing.com/silver/care.htm

JEWELRY

These same rules apply for jewelry made of metal. Jewelry can be even more delicate since many old pieces were made of base metal such as silver or brass and then had a gold wash applied to the surface. Even rubbing hard with a cloth, let alone using a metal polish, can destroy the gold wash and drastically devalue the item. Another thing I learned the hard way. Shinier isn't always better! This even applies to solid gold items. Don't you prefer the soft, classy look to the brilliant brand new shiny look? I certainly do. In addition, the stones should also be cleaned properly. Don't drop jewelry into an ultra sound cleaner. The greatest damage is dissolving the glue adhering some stones in place. A popular jewelry cleaner is the pink solution in a bottle. It often is ammonia based and could react with the stones and damage them. Even water can damage ivory,

pearls, hair, amber, and other materials. Also, place the jewelry in a small, fine mesh sieve device like the basket in the ultra sound cleaner. A glass container will work, too. Just don't get impatient and rinse an item under the kitchen faucet and later wonder what happened to the missing stones. A safety note-never place a flammable liquid in an ultrasound cleaning device. The rapid vibration generates heat and could ignite the flammable liquid.

WOOD

Dust the item with a soft cloth and then evaluate the condition of the finish. If the item is valuable, don't do anything to it yourself other than dust it. Consult a person knowledgeable in this type of furniture to see what steps can be taken, if any. It is flaking off, and it is a valuable painted finish, stop and consult an expert. If this is Grandma Smith's old pie safe, and you want to be able to use it, there are things you can do to improve its looks that won't change its value. If it is a varnish finish, first clean the piece with naphtha applied and gently rubbed with a 0000 Scotch Brite pad. Immediately wipe off the naphtha and the residue it loosens with a clean, soft cloth and let the piece dry for an hour or so. If you like how the piece now looks, you are done. If you feel the finish is dull and has a few nicks here and there that bother you, apply a colored wax such as Bri Wax. It and similar products come in many colors. Just select the one whose color is most similar to the item you're working on. Do not apply it with steel wool. Use a white Scotch Brite pad to gently rub the wax over the surface. They do not leave a residue of tiny pieces of metal on the furniture, floor or in your fingers. Work the wax into the nicks and areas where the finish is missing or very

thin. Just do one surface at a time, then immediately buff the wax. Wax can easily be removed with naphtha or mineral spirits if you don't like it or decide to refinish the item later. Go over the piece with naphtha like you did in the first step and the wax will be gone. Never do anything to an antique item that cannot be easily reversed. Some use people waterless hand cleaner to clean furniture. If you use it, apply some in an area on a place not readily visible, wipe it off, and determine if you are pleased with it. I've had both good and bad experiences with it.

POTTERY

If you have additional questions about cleaning, send me an email and I'll try to answer them in the next newsletter. UncleLar@TheCollectorOnLine.com