| Search our quarter-million Q&As |
Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989
-----What does tarnished nickel look like?
Q. I purchased a small metal dish at a flea market and am puzzled what kind of metal it is. It at first appeared to be a very tarnished copper. Cleaning it exposed a very pinkish color matte finish and further cleaning exposed a blackish surface that buffs to a shiny silver. The piece is quite heavy for its size. Could it be nickel or pewter? The dish measures 3 1/2" X 8" and about 1/2 deep with a decorative embossed lip. The inside has a very interesting scene in an upraised pattern depicting flowers, a rooster, chicken, etc. and the underside has an upraised tree branch and stumps. Impressions of the design do not appear on the reverse side. The piece is extremely interesting. What kind of metal could it me?
Thanks,
Diane K [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]pharmaceutical - Edison, New Jersey
2003
Q. Hi, Diane.
The scene has flowers, a rooster, and a chicken? . . . I say, I say, is it Foghorn Leghorn plotting to seduce Ms. Chicken with flowers and fast talk?
You could do Archimedes' experiment on the dish (weigh it, immerse it in water and weigh the water it displaces. From this ratio of the metal weight to weight of water you know the specific gravity of the metal, which you look up in a chart). This would not tell you for sure exactly what it's made of but would rule a lot of things out. Silver is reasonably heavy. Based on the appearance my guess, I say my guess, is that it could be solid silver or solid pewter. But silver is a definite whitish color and pewter a definite grayish color. Good luck with it.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
2003
Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.