Consulting the Silver Expert

Is Your Silver being Damaged or Respected? Part 1

I will be sharing, in the following several issues of the MBJ, the results of tests I have run in my workshop on products designed to remove tarnish. There are currently no silver polishes on the market that are non-abrasive, even though many proclaim to be. The basic message of this series? It is best to spend more time polishing with a mild polish than less time using an abrasive one!

For you certainly wouldn’t use an auto-body grinder to polish your silver, so why are use products that could result in similar damage?

It’s because they remove tarnish at light speed, right?

Well, maybe it’s time to stop ruining sterling and silver-plated objects and to start treating them with the love and respect they deserve.

For instance, below are hallmarks that were stamped on a 1760 Hester Bateman coffeepot. Notice how they have been worn down and are difficult to read because of the use of extremely abrasive polishes. Left to right: Maker’s mark (HB: Hester Bateman); quality mark (rampant lion signifying sterling); assay office (crowned leopard’s head: London); date mark (C: 1760). If this pot continues to be cared for so poorly, the marks may well become illegible within a short period of time.

Mr. Herman continues to offer his services to our readers for any questions you may have about the care of silver. Either contact him at (800) 339-0417 (USA) or via email jeff @ hermansilver.com

 

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Consulting the Silver Expert

Some Holiday Shopping Ideas

As it is the holiday season, you may be looking for some unique and quality gift ideas. Here are some beautiful gift ideas from the Society of American Silversmiths [No, the Institute does not receive any commissions].

“If you’re a silver lover, here’s something else you’ll appreciate about this lustrous metal: it can kill or suppress the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, and fungus.

“Silver’s association with anti-bacterial properties has long been established. The ancient Phoenicians knew enough to keep water, wine and vinegar in silver vessels to ensure freshness. It is only recently, however, that scientists have discovered why silver works. Quite simply, silver interrupts the bacteria cell’s ability to form the chemical bonds essential to its survival. These bonds produce the cell’s physical structure so when bacteria meets silver it literally falls apart.

“Stainless steel doesn’t offer these benefits nor does it retain its value. Why not buy something that has been staving off illnesses naturally for centuries? Consider drinking from a silver goblet or eating from silver flatware: an elegant way to stay healthier. And when it’s time to pass down your silver to the next generation, you can extol silver’s health benefits as well.”

Mr. Herman continues to offer his services to our readers for any questions you may have about the care of silver. Either contact him at (800) 339-0417 (USA) or via email jeff @ hermansilver.com

 

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.