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Q&As since 1989


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Silver coating for copper antiques

I own two Japanese antique elephants made of copper. Some time ago, someone accidentally gave them a layer of dark varnish, I have removed this varnish by using paint remover [on eBay or Amazon] , & then neutralizing the acidity factor by submerging & washing them in distilled water. The original format of these elephants is now clear to see. They obviously have some form of silver coating to give them a true to life texture for their skins (i.e., the color of elephant hide). Unfortunately in many areas, this coating has come off exposing the copper base of which these elephants are made. How do I get this silver colored coating back on?

Raninder Singh
Teg's Masrado Ltd - Patiala, Punjab, India
2003

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You can try brush silver plating-
or you can use paste silvering(20 gm sodium chloride/common salt/,
20 gm potassium bitartrate,
10 gm silver chloride,
mix chemicals with some water to make thick paste,this mixture must be rubbed on object with cork or small piece of leather,can be polished with fine brass wire brush [affil links] or some precicipated chalk and then, after drying, you can lacquer it).

Good luck! Goran Budija
- Zagreb,Croatia
2003