Topic: Is it possible to date this IOW Red Azurene paperweight ?

[chopin-liszt]

 :clap:

Fine!  :thup:
The iridescenty bits, however, appeared as the silver was being heated with the glass - it's a reaction between the glass and the silver. It shouldn't polish off too easily!

[Baked_Beans]

                                                   

but for the more practically minded - just don't fart anywhere near your silver..... :wsh:


Just because my name is Baked_Beans there is no need to get personal here  !! Perhaps I will get through the litre of hypo quicker than I thought  :24:

[Baked_Beans]

Ooops messed up the quote bit ! Sorry .

[Leni]

 :24: :24: :24:

Seriously though, this is a very interesting and informative thread, with implications for all glass which has silver surface effects!  (I have an Adam Aaronson vase with a silver leaf band round the middle and a Jonathan Harris silver re-heat cameo vase, both of which need a bit of a polish to restore the appearance of the silver.)  I think it would be useful if this thread could be archived in some way so that the information remains available for seekers of advice on how to clean silvered glass surfaces! 

[KevinH]

I (or another Moderator) will split out the info on silver cleaning and then shift it to:
a) the general Glass forum for possible additional input
b) the Glass Archives forum

First split to be done in the next day or two.

[chopin-liszt]

There's a discussion about this on the IoWSG forum.
Mostly found a range of stuff called "Mr. Town Talk" on ebay - it has an anti-tarnish feature, which seems to have lasted about 6 months.


http://www.isleofwightstudioglass.co.uk/SMF/index.php?topic=442.0

[Leni]

Thanks very much for that link, Sue  :kissy:

[Baked_Beans]

Thanks very much for the link, too, Sue !

 I really like your cylinder vases. It seems that oxidization of the silver is almost an inherent feature with Azurene. Even after the hypo treatment on this paperweight it still looks greyish silver.
So I don't know if it was like that when it was made or not . Certainly without a coating of an anti-tarnish spray as in Mr Town Talk the result of cleaning would be just very short-lived . The paperweight is already reverting back to it's pre-cleaned look !

I've really learnt so much from one paperweight and will look out for IOW Azurene now that I know more about it !

Thanks again Sue you have been a real sport and a huge help !

[chopin-liszt]

 

I think the oxidation is inherent only in the earlier pieces, while the technique was still being perfected.

No harm in repeating here the snippet of info I have permission to tell folk about, regarding this foiling at Isle of Wight Studio Glass.

Michael Harris invented a special vacuum marver for putting the foil onto the glass.
The surface of the marver has little holes in it, a gentle vacuum is created by passing air under it. The very delicate sheets of precious metal foil are laid carefully on it and the mild vacuum holds them flat, while the gather of glass is rolled over to pick it up.

[ahremck]

Mike, the reason why the cleaned silver is somewhat dull is obvious, when you realise that the cleaning process is somewhat akin to etching selectively.  The depth of the tarnish will vary continuously and the surface will in effect be etched once the tarnish is removed.  Protection would need to be applied as soon as the cleaning is completed.

Ross