Monday, March 21, 2011

Polishing Silver! It's Not Just For Butlers Anymore!

On my St Pat's table, I debuted my new silver!


I just love this silver set. I was out, innocently minding my own business, with my sister. I took her to this new antique store that I had found. We were walking around looking at everything and then I saw it! It was right by the register. I didn't take it with me. I just went home and obsessed about it.

I went back about a week later determined to get it. I even got to the store 20 minutes before they opened. I went to the little table by the register and it was gone! Table and all! Gone! I sadly walked around the store not really interested in anything. The very nice gentleman behind the counter asked me what was wrong. I pouted that the silver set that was RIGHT THERE was now GONE!

I can be quite the drama queen sometimes.

He looked at me and smiled. How dare he smile! He told me that they had moved it the day before to the other room that I had not pouted through yet. WHAT?! It was still there! So $100.00 later and it was mine!

Anyways....

....what has this got to do with polishing silver? Well, the first thing that I did with it was polish it. It was shiny and didn't look tarnished, but it's like getting your hair done. You have to come home and play with it. I checked out a couple of different sites on how to do it since I was clueless. Here is the easiest way that I found.


I heard that Wright's is the best silver polish. So I got a bottle of it. I found it at the grocery store. I also used this suede brush edge to get inbetween the tines of the forks. I thought the rubber bristles would get to make it easier, but they really weren't that bad. For the most part though, I just used a regular old household sponge.


I filled the sink with the hottest tap water I could get. Even the little piggies were curious as to what I was doing!


I soaked the silver for about 10 minutes. Warming the silver like this helps to release the tarnish. While it was soaking, I laid out a kitchen towel for them. When they were done soaking, I rubbed some silver polish onto them with the sponge. I let them sit with the polish on for another 10 minutes.


I did about 20 pieces at a time.


After I had let them set with the silver polish on, I rinsed them under hot tap water and dried them with a shammy cloth.


What do you think?! The one on the right is before and the left is after polishing. You could tell more of a difference in person. Before polishing they had a goldish cast to them. They also looked milky white kinda.


Now, they are all sparkly and shiny. On the first batch, halfway through, I thought maybe I was wasting my time or doing it wrong. I kept with it though and it really made a difference.


When I use it, I just handwash it in mild soap, towel dry and stored in the box.

BTW, the papers in the bottom of the box? Those are the original certificate for the set and a sheet that lists what comes with the set.

For now, I am off to buy more silver I can polish! It was actually enjoyable. There is a tea set I have had my eye on....

Oh, one more thing! You will want to wear gloves cause the tarnish will be all over your hands! That does not come off so easily....


P.S. Sorry Yvonne! The silver is by Holmes & Edward and is a sterling inlaid set. It means that there is an extra block of sterling on the handles and bowls of the pieces. This is to help prevent wear. I did a little research on the piece and found out the pattern is called "Danish Princess" and is from 1938. According to the pricing on Ebay, I got quite a deal on this entire set.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I shall send you my silver post haste!

Leah said...

I cleansed my house of all silver accessories years ago! much work! but beautiful nonetheless.
Thanks for linking to Toot Your Horn Tuesday! Definitely a worthy toot!!!

Lynn said...

Congrats on your new silver Maggie! It looks beautiful-enjoy:@)

Proper Prim said...

What a gorgeous set Maggie... glad it was still there waiting for you.

I obsess about things too, then I know I really, really love them and won't tire of them but when I go back they are normally gone and the search begins. At least the next time I know what I am looking for...lol

Hugs, Deb

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Maggie, my dear, I knew we were kindred spirits! How I love to polish my silver. Just seeing it become all sparkly and shiny is such a reward.

Your silver is GORGEOUS!!!! You did not tell us the pattern or manufacturer. I love the beautiful embellished handle ends!!! You hve quite the treasure! If we lived close I'd have to borrow them.

Good girl! Great post, too bad there are going to be a lot of sad butlers, we are taking over their jobs!
Love you, girl!
Yvonne

{oc cottage} said...

You lucky duck! How awesome!

m ^..^

Beth said...

Maggie, you got a fabulous deal and it is really beautiful!
Hugs, Beth

Susan Nowell @ My Place to Yours said...

Beautiful! I keep hoping some day I'll stumble upon a deal like yours... I'm so happy you did! BTW I love your next to last pic. Thanks for stopping by!

Lori said...

Loving your new silver and that is a steal of a deal ~ you cannot buy a good everyday set for that now..... well you can but not nearly as nice. I should pull mine out and use it more often ~ maybe on the week-end.... hmmmm xo

Alycia Nichols said...

You got a WHALE of a deal on this set!!! I hadn't looked at this post when I visited earlier, and oh my gosh...you cleaned up!!! Replacements, Ltd. sells the individual pieces for SO much more (as you might imagine)!!! Mine is inherited, and I would like to get lots of additional pieces. I'll just have to do a few at a time. Lucky, lucky you!!! Congratulations on such a tremendous find!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful find! I inherited a bunch of silver from my Nano.... and a bunch of silver polish too. I had never polished silver before, and I became addicted to it. It's a high (and not just from the fumes) making something so shinny.

love your blog
Buffie
http://scrappingwithbuffie.blogspot.com/