Facebook
sprite-icon-instagram
Twitter
sprite-icon-wechat
Weibo
X
sprite-icon-youtube
sprite-icon-accessible
Group 3
sprite-icon-arrow
sprite-icon-audio-description
sprite-icon-calendar
sprite-icon-camera
UI/Chevron/Large/Black
sprite-icon-chevron
Artboard 1
sprite-icon-copyright
sprite-icon-data
sprite-icon-download
sprite-icon-grid
sprite-icon-image
i
sprite-icon-list
sprite-icon-magazine
sprite-icon-maximise
sprite-icon-museum
sprite-icon-osd-minus
sprite-icon-osd-plus
Group 6
sprite-icon-pin
sprite-icon-plus
sprite-icon-print
Fill 1
sprite-icon-share
sprite-icon-shop
sprite-icon-tag
sprite-icon-tea
sprite-icon-ten-percent-tag
Artboard 1
sprite-icon-wallet
sprite-icon-zoom
Skip to main content
Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience.
Menu
Main navigation
Visit
Toggle Visit submenu
Back
to previous menu
—
Visit
—
Visit
—
Family visits
—
Group visits
—
Audio app
—
Out-of-hours tours
—
Tours and talks
—
Object trails
—
Accessibility
—
Food and drink
—
Late opening on Fridays
—
Museum map
Exhibitions and events
Collection
Toggle Collection submenu
Back
to previous menu
—
Collection
—
Collection
—
Collection online
—
Galleries
—
Blog
—
The British Museum podcast
Learn
Toggle Learn submenu
Back
to previous menu
—
Learn
—
Learn
—
Schools
—
Communities
—
Adult learning
—
Young people
Membership
Toggle Membership submenu
Back
to previous menu
—
Membership
—
Membership
—
Members' events
—
Young Friends
—
Existing Members
—
Visiting as a Member
Support us
Toggle Support us submenu
Back
to previous menu
—
Support us
—
Donate
—
Corporate support
—
Become a Patron
—
Supporter case studies
—
Become a Volunteer
—
Existing Patrons
—
Leave a legacy
—
American Friends of the British Museum
Secondary navigation
Shop
Search
Donate
Hide menu
Treatment; 19/12/18; Clean to remove tarnish.; Metals
Header
Treatment
19/12/18
Clean to remove tarnish.
Metals
Reason
Loan
Description
Various methods of tarnish removal were either tried or considered. Silver dip was not appropriate as it would have been very difficult to remove residues from the hollow areas of the vessel without taking the chalice apart (and there simply was no time) although it did have the advantage of not affecting the gilding through abrasion. Various solvents were tried but had no effect. Calcium Carbonate was tried and was successful but it was very slow. Silvo was chosen to remove the tarnish as it was quick and effective and was relatively easy to remove the residues afterwards. It was decided to use very small amounts of silvo applied on cotton wool swabs and rubbed into the tin of Silvo. This was to reduce the amount of polishing and the amount of rubbing to remove residues in order to protect the very thin and worn gilding. Residues were removed with swabs of White Spirit with a final degrease in Acetone. This work was carried out in BEP Workshop fume cupbaord as all the extraction in WCEC was not working.
Details
Treatment
1 related objects
chalice
Museum number
1855,1201.9