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Antiques - Bronze, Silver And Gold

By Michael Russell

The earliest civilisations of China, Egypt, Greece and Rome made bronze coins and statues, ad bronze was later used to cast bells and cannon - the original Victoria Crosses were made from bronze of Russia cannon captured in the Crimean War. It finally became extremely popular with British and Indian craftsmen in Victorian times for casting small statuettes and art objects that today, have become rare and sought after antiques.

Bronze ages well and acquires its own patina in various shades of brown or blue-green. It needs no polishing, but wipe it occasionally with a soft, dry cloth. Corrosion, however, is common. Bright green spots - sometimes called bronze disease - starts in a small area and spread swiftly like a rash to cover the whole object. Remove the corrosion either by scraping carefully with a knife or by heavy rubbing with a brass brush. Do not use a steel or wire bush, which can damage the antique surface and cause the corrosion to reappear later. Swab heavily corroded areas with a 10% solution of acetic acid solution in water. If the antique has a broken piece, soft solder it and colour the shiny solder joint with a bronze-coloured lacquer until it blends in with the adjacent bronze. It is also possible to use bronze wax gilt, but this is not as durable as lacquer.

Silver has been used for making silver antique jewelry, ornaments and utensils for at least 5000 years. Valuable antique pieces should be taken to a specialist craftsman for repair or re-plating. Silver is usually hard-soldered at the joints, but the soldering temperature, especially of the surrounding metal and the base metal under silver plate, is crucial. The work is tricky and much damage can be caused to antiques by inexperience.

Both silver and silver plate tarnish and corrode quickly, especially in coastal areas: salt in the atmosphere causes silver chloride to form. Corrosion can be treated effectively with a proprietary silver dip. Great care should be taken when cleaning the antique with silver dip, especially when the base metal is exposed. Just a quick in-and-out dip and rinse with clean warm water. Clean any remaining bad spots with a paste of French chalk and methylated spirits, or in warm water with a few drops of ammonia added. The older the antique piece is the more likely the silver or silver plate will react to the cleaning process, so care should be taken to apply cleaning agents in small doses.

For polishing silver antiques it is best to use a long lasting silver polish, this will save the piece from continual cleaning and prolong its life. Scratched antiques can be remedied by rubbing with jewellers' rouge or fine crocus powder. Wrapping silver antiques in tissue paper and placing it in a polythene bag will protect and keep it shiny indefinitely.

Craftsmen throughout time have also fallen for the shiny allure that gold presents. Antique gold jewellery has been found dating as far back as 3000BC in Mesopotamian burial hoards. The purity of gold is expressed in carats. A carat is a 24th part, so 22-carat gold contains 22 parts of gold and 2 parts of other hardening metals. This evaluating system is what gives gold antique pieces its value. Period and craftsmen also have a lot to do with the value of a specific antique piece.

Because of the value of gold, its repair and restoration is best left to an expert goldsmith. If gold antiques become dull, the shine can be restored by, polishing with either a jewellers' rouge or chamois leather. Small items such as rings can be burnished with a piece of polished steel, such as a knitting needle, but this method should not be used on engraved metal. Clean gold antiques by washing them in warm, soapy water and polishing with a soft cloth or chamois leather.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Antiques

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As a general rule of thumb the beginning collector can take the year 1830 as a demarcation line. After 1830 many goods such as furniture and decorative items began to be mass produced. This is not to say that these items cannot be valuable or collectible but the criteria for judging their value will be different than that of earlier pieces.
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Is the item worth thousands of dollars? If so, take no chances; have it professionally repaired or restored. Even if it is worth a few hundred dollars, you may want to hire an expert. Get some estimates. The cost may be lower than you expect.
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Do not polish dark antique bronze or you will destroy the old patina and lower the value of the piece.
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Roman Antiques - Coins, Sculptures, Portraits, Paintings

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 03:37:55 -0600
Ancient Roman Jewelry, Vintage brooches, and Uncut Minerals. Bronze, Glass and Iron Artefacts from the Roman Empire. Learn a little about Roman coins, portraits and scuptures to know if the items you want to buy are really antiques.

Greek Antiques - Collectibles and Artefacts

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 03:38:18 -0600
Ancient Grecian Coins, Jewelry, Carvings, Statues & Sculptures. Ancient plates, and artefacts from The Iron Age. Facts about the first bracelets, and Origins of Greek Coinage gives you information about the ancient coins that may help you determine their value as collectibles before you buy.


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Featured antique english furniture Article

Tips To Find Priceless Collectibles and Antiques On eBay

By Dominic Ferrara

If you want to sell collectibles and antiques on eBay, then you will have to create a well- planned strategy because it is not easy. There are many sellers who quit, because they do not know where to look for more items to sell on eBay. The only seller who survives is the one, who does not run out of materials or items to sell. If you want to gain collectibles and antiques for selling then you need to run ads, hand out cards, put up signs, try networking and any other possible method to make the sellers call you. When you visit auctions, yard sales, antique malls, you can come across various dealers and collectors who are in competition with you.

You can win only if you are able to convince the sellers that their unwanted items can be converted into profit, if they sold it to you. If they call you back, you are in control. You can rely on luck as well, when you go to any yard sale. But selling on eBay is a serious business and you need to have collectibles coming on without fail. There is no point in relying completely on luck because there are others waiting to take your place. You require a system wherein the items come to you constantly. Besides, there are many people who prefer selling their items online through eBay, even though Internet is full of popular websites. There are some guidelines that you can follow for success.

Developing an outstanding marketing plan is very important. Make sure that your plan is an outline of how you plan to convince the sellers. Create a strategy that the seller cannot refuse to accept. It should be very effective as this is the psychology of creating a win-win situation. No seller would want to lose, so make sure to tell them that they are getting a good deal because this will bring you more business. Networking also works to a great extent. Don't hesitate in asking people, if they have any collectibles, they would like to sell. Spread word in your community that if anyone is interested in selling collectibles, then they can contact you. Another important strategy is to show off the collectibles and antiques you have. This can be done in any manner you like. People can see your collection and many can even call you to sell their collectibles. Write a letter to your local real estate agents and inform them about your interest in paying cash for unwanted antiques or collectibles.

You can get in touch with other dealers and tell them that you will buy any collectible or antique, they do not want. You can pay people to find items for you. If someone finds something for you, then don't forget to pay that person the finders' fee. You definitely will succeed in finding treasure troves of priceless collectibles and antiques, if you make an effort and have the patience to search for items online, on eBay.

For more information on the best Ebay Auction Info try visiting Auction Rookies blog located at http://AuctionRookies.com where you will find valuable information on ebay auctions, ebay misspellings and other information.

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To be a successful antiques collector you will have to educate yourself on the exact value of antiques in your area of interest. As a general rule of thumb the beginning collector can take the year 1830 as a demarcation line. After 1830 many goods such as furniture and decorative items began to be mass produced. This is not to say that these items cannot be valuable or collectible but the criteria for judging their value will be different than that of e
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A good reputation with other dealers and collectors. Word of mouth is the primary advertising medium for antique dealers. Collectors tell one another when they have had good and bad dealings with particular dealers. Dealers tell one another what they have heard. This communication is a vital part of keeping everyone honest. Without it there is no mechanism for removing disreputable dealers (and collectors) from the trade. - see the first note above. So ask around. Ask at least 4 people who don't know each other, so you are sure to get a good and fair estimate of the general opinion. Remember that there will always be one or two people who don't like someone, but if 4 unacquainted people you talk to have horror stories of being ripped off by a dealer, steer clear of them. (This is fairly rare by the way.)
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Lemon juice will remove the remains of gum, adhesive tape, and other sticky tapes.
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Antique Tools. Along the same lines as kitchen wares, old tools can be an interesting collectible since some of the pieces can be esoteric and intriguing - for instance old hoof cleaners or handles to remove the batteries from Model T automobiles. Free antique price guides available online can help you to determine what to pay for such oddities but they are rarely high dollar items.
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Antique Clocks - Grandfather, Cuckoo Clocks, Wall and Mantel

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:34:21 -0600
And an article about the value of antique grandfather clocks. To be
certain of a clock's authenticity, you should only buy from a trusted and reputable seller. Read any listing carefully to ensure that the product you are buying is truly an antique.

Sized at 7.5M, these vintage high-heeled black shoes are in good condition and have great style. The large fake jewels are all present, and are individually sewn onto the shoes over a metallic, gold leather design. I had the caps on the bottoms of the high heels replaced by a local shoe cobbler.

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