Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

Antique brass bed for my 10 year old daughter- concerns

I just purchased an antique brass bed for my 10 year old daughter but have become concerned about the lead content and the possibility of lead poisoning. Should I coat it with a lacquer to be safe? It's got that great, mellowed patina and I had not intended to do any treatments to change it's beautiful coloring, just want to keep our children safe. (We do have smaller children in the house.)

Aimee Victoria
buyer - Madrid, New York, USA
December 30, 2010


Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay

As long as she does not chew on it or is one of those extremely rare persons that has extremely high acid sweat, you should not have any problem using it as it is.
Brass beds have been around for hundreds of years and I have never heard of one case of lead poisoning from it.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
First of two simultaneous responses -- January 3, 2011

Try Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] coating (to protect patina). Are you sure that your bed is of leaded brass? Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
Second of two simultaneous responses -- January 4, 2011

---

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Copper has antiseptic properties and zinc is an element essential for healthy life.
For some engineering applications - not bed fittings - a tiny amount of lead is added to improve machining properties.

Remember that worry kills more people than the things they worry about.

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
January 4, 2011