Need Help Sterling Silver What is it?

[beckyscountrycottage]

tooth pick holder? Match Holder? its about four inchers tall. Made by S kirk and Son from 1896 to 1924.  Also would you clean it, or leave the patina?     Any help would be appreciated.  

 

[a*river*runs*through*it]

Measurements?

[beckyscountrycottage]

3 1/2 inches tall , one inch in diameter

[a*river*runs*through*it]

Sorry, but I am simply stumped.

It looks like it would hold toothpicks but I sure can't find any like it.

[beckyscountrycottage]

I looked and looked and stumped to

[Anonymous]

Might be part of a dresser/vanity set.

I wouldn't polish it. With repoussè work some of the blackening might be intentional.

[beckyscountrycottage]

thanks for your help.

[beckyscountrycottage]

mystery solved  .  I was told its a shaving flake holder. 

[lja440]

I wouldn't clean it but I have lightly wiped down heavily tarnished silver items with a silver polishing cloth just enough to brighten the details to show better in pictures. 

[beckyscountrycottage]

thanks

[maxine*j]

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@beckyscountrycottage wrote:

  Also would you clean it, or leave the patina?   

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I've heard this argued up one side and down the other on these boards, with equal fervor from people in the DO and the DON'T camps.

My personal opinion: only:  Tarnish is not patina  It's not good for the silver.  It can also hide damage, making buyers wary.  So, I say clean it.  But I also say, clean it very gently, with the mildest of cleaners and cloths.  Don't ever rub hard or scrub or overclean.  Get down to the quiet, soft glow of good old silver and stop.  The goal is to get rid of the tarnish to reveal the patina.  

Even if it's been deliberately oxidized, as -palmtreelucky- suggests, this very gentle cleaning is still in order, in my personal opinion -- but even more care must be taken to not overdo it, as you want to keep the contrast.

[little.font.lord.leroy]

I've purchased a lot of silver, and as I buyer I have seen the most horrible atrocities committed in the name of cleaning silver. Unless you have cleaned hundreds of pieces, this one may not be the place to start.

The usual offenses.

1. dipping or dunking. Using either Tarn X or tinfoil method or a machine, any method that calls for submersion (yes, dabbing Tarn X with a cloth counts as submersion). These methods completely destroy the original patina (as mentioned) and strip the metal, making the piece look cheep and gaudy.

2. Pressing too hard and denting the soft metal.

3. Scratching the surface with an abrasive cleaner (comet) or tool (3M pad).

4. there's more but them seem to be what I see several times a day on eBay.

It looks like the tarnish is so thick it is chipping off in places. That is often hard to clean as you will have spots that chip clean and others that are stubborn, resulting in a "dalmatian" look, when you go to clean. This is usually when the frustrated seller turns to 1-3 above.

If you do clean use a paste (like Hagerty 12170 Silversmiths' Silver Wash) and rinse with water.

Jeffrey Herman has an excellent article on silver cleaning DOs and DON'Ts.

[nuggalanche]

Ive always been on the fence with old silver too. But I have found that so many pieces have been cleaned so many times already that you probably won't do much damage that is not there already. I found this especially true in dinner service pieces. I know my grandmother made us polish the silver every year in the days leading up to thanksgiving. I could never understand how fast the tarnish built up. We own many many many (way too freaking many) pieces and I actually really enjoy cleaning them. In my case I'm not taking much away even if I am removing some patina, but I love the result and I catch myself polishing them randomly when they look like they could be prettier. I do agree that the pastes are the best method and I really like Wright's Silver Cream. It is gentle and takes the tarnish off with a minimum of effort. I use a special shammy for car detailing so it is very gently buffed and it seems to just pull tarnish and i don't see any damage when I look under magnification. I have had other very visibly cause scratches, so I am brand loyal. I even came across some very large platters in the attic that were awards from state fairs and rodeos for Champion Livestock. I hesitated, but couldnt resist as the engravings were not visible at alll. That silver cream rocked it out in less than 5 minutes per platter. I did not did into the ornate edging or fine detail and left it for some contrast and to show the age and patina. The older ones definitely did have some of the pitting or deep tarnish that was mentioned, so in m mind the polishing is preventing damage. With this piece, (which is beautiful and I am super jealous, by the way,) The light touch would be my choice. It looks so fantastic just the way it is. Maybe just a little to show a bit of the true color, but making that piece look like new would definitely detract from its value to me. Whether or not a Professional would agree, I dont know. I honestly wouldn't care. I've collected things my whole life. Some things are common like comics and toys, and some are a bit different and personal, like antique tape measures and things my grandfather left me. I'm almost always disappointed when I'm looking for dollar value, but I'm never disappointed when I make a choice for personal value or ant sentimental significance.

[divwido]

Wooden Match Holder

[divwido]

And no, do not clean it.   You never know when one cleaning is going to remove the finish.  Best to sell as it.