posted 02-27-2008 09:13 PM            

So since we hashed through the various methods of gilding, I have a few more thought provoking (I hope) questions:

1. Would re-gilding (or alternatively removing the remaining gilding) raise, lower or no change to the value of a piece?

2. Has anyone ever had pieces re-gilded? If so, what was the result?

3. Are there any silversmiths, silver restorers that anyone has dealt with and recommends? (If this isn't a proper question to ask here, please let me know and I'll remove it.)

posted 02-28-2008 12:01 PM            

1. Others will have a better take.
   
2. Yes for 20th c. pieces, if it is a good job very satisfactory.
   
3. Happy to recommend a company I have done business with for 25 years;
   Patrick Gill Co. in Woburn, MA.
   They do very good work, not the cheapest, silver polishing, plating and gilding.

posted 03-01-2008 07:38 AM            

The trick with dent removal and gilding, especially worn gilding, is not to mark or scratch it when getting the dent out. Most dent removal is done on steel or wood, both will make scratches and the norm is then to machine polish which can remove thin gilding and the light scratches that form the surface of old silver.

The best solution used to be to cover the tool with a smooth leather but a few years ago I stopped in to visit an instrument repair shop near me and they use polypropylene sheet a little thicker than a sheet of paper to cover the steel stakes. This works really well and usually only a little hand rub after will give an invisible job. Obviously the dent removal it self is done with hand pressure or a polypropylene hammer. A steel hammer is always a last resort in dent removal because the hammer marks then have to be removed.

My best guess is that the right person could give you a 95% job because it sounds like the gilding is thin and the dent is a little more than just a push to get it out. I would go ahead and have it done and if you were not happy it could always be re-gilded.

posted 03-04-2008 08:00 AM            

I would like to respectfully disagree with you on one point because of what I think is a very common misconception about repair. You say “ in general restoration detracts from an object's desirability among most collectors - especially for older or rarer works.” and “I would not normally expect the cost of the restoration to result in an increased collector's value that could be recovered were you to then sell the restored objects since they would have lost much of their historical charm.”

The misconception is that a repair will always be obvious and not necessarily good. I hear that a lot on these forums and I believe at a certain level it is not true.

Where it is true is with a bad repair. Bad repairs I believe are the norm; I see them and often spend time and customers money re-repairing them.

Having said that there are some excellent silver restorers out there (not many) and when I see their work I am always impressed. Actually the point is you do not see the work! That is the great thing about silver, it dents and you can take the dent out and if done right never know it was done. That is why it upsets me to see damaged silver in museums when I know how easy some repairs are. The trouble is in the wrong hands an easy repair can be done badly and this is why most people think that it should be avoided. Also there are some repairs that take an extreme amount of skill to even attempt – there are times when I have said that I can not do that or I have to stop here, other wise risk damage because my abilities stop at that point.

My reason for saying all this is really to encourage people to get that dent taken out of the spoon and coffee pot. Many repairs are easy, but do find a good repair person who will know and tell you from the beginning.

posted 03-04-2008 05:02 PM            

Polly, thank you for the kind words.