Topic: How to clean this?

[alaingeorges]

Hello,
I want to clean this nice little duck. 2 problems:
- the dirt is sort of "engraved" into the glass (which is "irregular", not smooth)
- the authentification stickers will likely be lost if drowned into water

Any tips for me?
Thank you so much,

alain
Brussels

[chopin-liszt]

Hi and welcome.
Biological clothes washing liquid, the kind with enzymes that works at low temperatures, is wonderful stuff for getting any organic muck off.

I would try diluting some in room temperature water, and applying it to your duck with a small toothbrush or paint brush on the areas you want to clean, while trying to avoid getting the base too wet.

It might be a bit awkward, you may need gloves to protect your skin, but it should be manageable.

If any of the marks are made by rust, some minced raw onion will (slowly) dissolve it all.

[Greg.]

Could these marks be down to the scavo finish, rather than dirt?

[Pinkspoons]

The finish is very definitely scavo (an imitation of the chemical erosion found on buried/excavated antique glass).

Don't try to wash it!

[Pinkspoons]

I sense from the first photograph that some abrasion has already been applied in the unfortunate quest to make it clean.

 

[ahremck]

I was going to add - never put thick glass items like this in anything other than room temperature water - they are likely to crack.  You see the effect often at the bottom of jug handles where the stress cracks the actual jug.

Ross

[alaingeorges]

Thank you everybody for those very useful answers... I'm new to the world of art glass and definitely have a lot to learn!
Thanks to your answers  i found this page -  http://www.atmosferaveneziana.com/site/scavo_glass.html -
Now i know that my little bird is older than me


Best
alain