• Are you a new customer to Herman Silver Restoration?
• If I'm going to bid on a piece on an auction site, can I get a quote?
• What do I insure my silver for that I'm shipping to you?
• What's the difference between, repair, restoration, conservation & preservation?
• What's the difference between a hallmark, housemark, and a maker's mark?
• How can I tell if a piece is solid silver or plated?
• Do you do appraisals?
• Do you replace blades in stainless knife handles?
• Do you do restorations on gold flatware?
• You do major repairs; can I send something that just needs polishing?
• Can you give me a price on a repair?
• Some of the gilding has worn off my fish slice, can it be replated?
• Can you repair a baby spoon that's been down the garbage disposal?
• Why won't polishing remove turquoise-colored corrosion?
• Can I add a patina to silver or does it have to be done professionally?
• What's the difference between machine engraving and hand engraving?
• Can acidic punch in silverplate be a hazardous combination?
• Should I lacquer silver so it won't tarnish?
• Is 1847 Rogers Bros. flatware sterling?
• What is weighted silver?
• The Bible's Malachi 3:3–regarding a smith's reflection.
• Where can I sell my silver?
• Who should I contact if I want to sell my silver?
• Where can I learn silversmithing or jewelry making?
• I have just started collecting. Are there any silver magazines?
• I have about 70 pounds of silver coins. Where should I sell them?
• I have a Mexican candelabra stamped "sterling" on the bottom. Are the arms sterling as well?

 

Q. Are you a new customer to Herman Silver Restoration?

A. If the answer is yes, please let us know what you're sending by calling or e-mailing an image of the object to be repaired. Thank you!

Q. If I'm going to bid on a piece on an auction site, can I get a quote?

A. If you're considering a silver purchase from an auction site, e-mail an image of the object in need of repair and I'll be happy e-mail you an estimate.

Q. What do I insure my silver for that I'm shipping to you?

A. Your homeowner's insurance may state what your piece is worth and if it's covered off premises.  If the policy isn't that specific, try the following:

• Identify the OBJECT: Coffeepot, Sardine Server, Caviar Server, etc.
• Identify the COUNTRY in which it was created: America, England, Germany, etc.
• Identify the MAKER: Gorham, Tiffany, Georg Jensen, Arthur J. Stone, Paul Storr, etc.  If you can't identify the maker, go here.
• Identify the METAL STANDARD: Sterling, .925, Coin, Standard, 800, 840, EPNS (Electro Plated Nickel Silver), etc.
• Type the above information in your browser's search feature and see if your piece is found.

Q. What's the difference between, repair, restoration, conservation & preservation?

A. The definitions below, in many instances, can be combined for the desired outcome.

• Repair: To fix (best possible outcome) a damaged or worn area on an object.
• Restoration: To either make an object or damaged area on that object look new, or to make it look its age without any noticeable damage or repairs.
• Conservation: Primarily dealing with cleaning an object, doing the least amount of harm to its original finish.
• Preservation: To stabolize an object from further deterioration. This may entail using an archival wax to maintain the surface finish.

Q. What's the difference between a hallmark, housemark, and a maker's mark?

A.These terms are commonly confused...

• Hallmark: A mark or series of marks stamped or laser-engraved by a country's assay office indicating the quality of the precious metal tested (e.g., "Sterling," ".925," ".840," ".800," or an image of a "rampant lion"—indicating sterling as used in Great Britian). The object may also contain the country, assay office, maker's mark, housemark, duty mark, etc.
• Housemark: A mark stamped or laser-engraved by the company (e.g., "Gorham," "Reed & Barton," "Tiffany," "Kalo") that created the object for its own line or for a retailer (e.g., "Shreve, Crump & Low," "J.E. Caldwell Co."). In addition, there may  also be a maker's mark, indicating the company's craftsman who created or oversaw the creation of the object.
• Maker's Mark: The name or artistic mark stamped, engraved, or laser-engraved on an object created by an individual silversmith or jeweler.

Q. How can I tell if a piece is solid silver or plated?

A. Normally, if a piece is solid silver it will be indicated on the piece (e.g. Sterling, .925, 925/1000, .900, Coin, Standard, .9584 (English Britannia), .800 (Germany), 84 (Russia), etc.). Most American-made pieces are marked on the bottom of holloware, and on the reverse on flatware. Foreign-made objects can be marked most anywhere, and are sometimes accompanied by additional marks applied at an assay office in that country. Rarely will you find a piece made of solid silver that isn't stamped. For more information, click here.

Q. Do you do appraisals?

A. I'm sorry, I don't. Please contact a professional at:

Appraisers Association of America, Inc.
386 Park Ave. South, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10016
212/889-5404, Fax: 212/889-5503,
Find an appraiser at AAA

International Society of Appraisers
1131 SW 7th St., Suite 105
Renton, WA 98055
206/241-0359, Fax: 206/241-0436,
Find an appraiser at ISA

Q. Do you replace broken blades in stainless handles?

A. No. The blades that are fitted and ground to the shape of the handle are specific to that design. I'm afraid you'll have to look for a replacement.

Q. Do you do restorations on gold flatware?

A. Yes I do. I have found that many collectors are looking to also have vermeil (gilding) removed from recently purchased sterling flatware. I will then patinate the pieces and give them a light buffing for an entirely new look.

Q. You do major repairs; can I send something that just needs polishing?

A. Though it looks as though I perform only complicated repairs or work on rare pieces, I most certainly take on (and enjoy) polishing all types of silver.

Q. Can you give me a price on a repair?

A. If you can e-mail me images of the pieces, along with with the makers marks (usually illustrated on the bottoms of the objects), I will be able to give you ballpark pricing.

Q. Some of the gilding has worn off my fish slice, can it be replated?

A. Yes, the worn area can be sponge plated and blended into the surrounding gilding.

Q. Can you repair a baby spoon that's been down the garbage disposal?

A. Ninety-nine percent of the time it can! The bowl can be rounded and gouges removed, splits can be brazed, handles can be unwrapped and straightened, and most of all, the piece can be made useful again. I repaired a disposal-damaged baby spoon from a collector in California. His wife was livid. He loved the results upon return...it gets better. I received the same spoon a couple of months later after it had again been down the disposal. There was actually enough material left for me to make the baby spoon functional without any sharp edges!

Q. Why won't polishing remove turquoise-colored corrosion?

A. It sounds like your serving pieces are silverplate, not sterling. If this is the case, they would have to be replated. Look on the back of a piece and see if it's stamped "Sterling."

Q. Can I add a patina to silver or does it have to be done professionally?

A. Unfortunately, there are no safe methods to repatinate your silver, since most of the chemicals contain are extremely toxic. These chemicals are also difficult to apply and highlight.

Q.  What's the difference between machine engraving and hand engraving?

A. Machine engraving isn't true engraving in a sense that metal isn't removed, it's actually burnished. That's why you'll feel a slight ridge when you run your finger over it. It's not unlike when you draw a picture in the sand. Hand engraving is the process of cutting shallow lines into metal with a sharp graver, reproducing artwork which has been drawn on a metal article. Unlike machine engraving, hand engraving removes metal when cutting. Bright cutting is another form of engraving which when viewed is very reflective because of its flat, angled cut.

Q. Can acidic punch in silverplate be a hazardous combination? 

A. It's true that anything acetic that comes in contact with sterling or leaded crystal will eventually leach into the liquid, though, it would be unusual for it to happen at an accelerated rate. I generally tell my customers to empty liquor from their whisky flasks immediately after use for that reason. If the punchbowl is plated, there may be some base metal (copper, brass, or leaded white metal) showing through and giving the punch a nasty taste.

Q. Should I lacquer silver so it won't tarnish?

A. Lacquering or waxing silver is generally not recommended because of the difficulties in obtaining an even coating.  If the coating has not been applied well, it may be uneven or have streaks and small holes, so that when the object retarnishes, it could look worse than if no coating had been applied at all.  Lacquer will also eventually yellow and crack, allowing tarnish to form within the fissures and eventually under the protective coating. This being said, if an object is placed in an open display where surface protection is necessary, an archival micro-crystalline wax such as Renaissance is recommended. Since Renaissance wax is not as durable as lacquer, the object should be handled with cotton gloves.

Q. I have a set of 1847 Rogers Bros. flatware.  Is it sterling?

A. Unfortunately, it isn't. The "1847" is refers to an extensive line of plated flatware they produced. 

Q. What is weighted silver?

A. Weighted silver is reinforced holloware. Pitch, plaster, lead, etc. must be used in these pieces because the metal can be as thin as .003" thick. If these pieces were not weighted, they would almost collapse! The total weight of the silver alone in a large candelabra may be as little as a few ounces. Weighted objects have been produced for decades, allowing more consumers to afford silver. In most cases, this type of manufacturing is totally impractical because it makes objects too unstable for practical daily use and cleaning.

Q. The Bible's Malachi 3:3–regarding a silversmith's reflection.

A. Yes, it is true that if a silversmith sees his/her reflection in a crucible of molten silver that is ready to "pour."  Normally, charcoal or flux is added over the silver to absorb any oxygen away from the silver.  When the impurities have been absorbed, and the silversmith can see his/her reflection (and providing the metal hasn't been overheated), it's ready to pour.

Please keep in mind that safety glasses and proper ventilation are an absolute MUST when working with molten metal.

If you've forgotten the entire story, here it is:

"There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi.  As they were studying chapter three they came across verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"  He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's the easy part -- when I see my image reflected in it."

Q.  Who should I contact if I want to sell my silver?

A. Before you send it to a refiner, contact a reputable antique silver dealer or auction house; you may find it's worth more than you think! Try any of the following companies I have dealt with:

As You Like It Silver Shop 3033 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA 70115 800/828-2311	Christie's 20 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10020 212/636-2000	M. Ford Creech Antiques 581 South Perkins Rd. Memphis, TN 38117 901/761-1163
Beverly Bremer Silver Shop 3164 Peachtree Rd. N.E. Atanta, GA 30305 800/270-4009	Drucker Antiques, Inc. 487 East Main Street, Ste. 197 Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914/923-4560	Reliable Gold 81 Wayland Ave. Providence, RI 02906 401/861-1414
Carman's Collectables PO Box 258 Levittown, PA 19059 215/946-9315	Greenwald Antiques 3096 Mayfield Rd. Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 216/932-5535	Sotheby's 1334 York Ave. New York, NY 10021 800/813-5968

Q. Where can I learn silversmithing or jewelry making?

A. Try the resources on these pages:

• U.S. Schools Offering Degree Programs in Silversmithing & Related Fields
• Silversmithing & Related Workshops

Q. I have just started collecting. Are there any silver magazines?

A. I would recommend subscribing to Silver Magazine, PO Box 10246, Greensboro NC 27404, 866/841-0112.

Q. I have about 70 pounds of silver coins. Where should I sell them?

A. It sound like you need a reliable coin dealer. You may want to search the American Numismatic Association member locator.

Q. I have a Mexican candelabra stamped "sterling" on the bottom. Are the arms sterling as well?

A. Though there are no quality marks on the arms, I am confident that they are sterling. Unlike Great Britain, Germany, and other countries that must hallmark all removable pieces on an object, Mexico has no such standard.