Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. A local shop claimed to have re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

You might be able "brush plate" only the damaged area with one of the electroplating kits available
for around 50 bucks. Do a google. Caswell is a major brand.

Bob Swinney
"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 3.70...
Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. A local shop claimed to have re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

If you can't find a reasonable plater,have her go on the internet and
find dealers who specialize in obsolete silver items. She can most
likely find one at a reasonable cost.


CP

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:
She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out
the door upon hearing his $1500 price.

(mattathayde) wrote:
$1500????? is this a gravy bowl for an entire city? a guy in my metal
smithing class got the inside of a large vessel silver plated for 25 bucks
and it only took a few days through a local guy in VA

It's not the size of the bowl, it's that anyone advertising as or in the
business of being a museum conservator is going to work at a high price
- and/or she got the "not work I want to do, so quote an outrageous
price and hope they go elsewhere" response - pretty standard. She might
or might not have gotten a better price on similar work if the item in
question was 15th century or whatever, as the conservator might find it
interesting - or he might just be really expensive because he does
whatever he does to a high standard and by seemingly bizarre methods
that have to do with "conservation" than "replating".

The guy in your metalsmithing class got someone in the plating business
that apparently is happy to do one-off work for individuals at a
reasonable price. Perhaps you could send Lloyd the contact info for that
plater.

One of these days I hope to find a reasonable price on getting a
trombone plated, but haven't as yet - so far the only one I got was
about the price of an entire plated trombone. But I haven't really
looked too hard yet - it's not a high priority. Could be worth a drive
to Virginia...

For a mass-produced item not in current production, one serious option
is to see if there are 10 on *b*y, and if 5 of them are in good shape,
and if one of those can be bought for less than you can get the
replating done for - and then sell off the original there as well.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

On Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:25:09 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. A local shop claimed to have re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

I had a couple of pewter clasps gold plated by a local jeweler - they
turned out quite nice. He did it for free, BTW. The renaissance garb I
was putting it on appealed to his sense of "weird", I guess.

Joe

Most silverplate made in the last 150 years have a substrate of either
nickle silver or pewter or a combination of the two (cast pewter feet and
trims on a nickle body)

The nickle does not need a copper subplate. If it has pewter on it, the
pewter needs to be struck with a sulfate copper plate and some nickle to
keep the copper from absorbing the silver.

Cyanide silver plating builds up well and (unlike chrome) does not need to
have the old plate stripped. With moderate finishing a worn spot can be
overplated thick enough to be polished to invisibility.

If your wear exposes pewter, it becomes a much bigger pita.

$1500 is a lot of bread though.
We used to have 2 silverplaters here in Chicago. One was real expensive and
did the most beautiful work you have ever seen. They closed up and the
building is a toxic waste site.

The other does decent work at a decent price. They do most of the work for
the hotel and restaurant trade.

http://www.baroquesilverplaters.com/

I normally do brush plating touch up for the antique dealers around here,
but that is for looks, not longevity.
When they need more extensive work I send them there.

I have never actually used them myself, but the work I've seen was never
embarrassing.

Paul K. Dickman


"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 3.70...
Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. A local shop claimed to have
re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out
the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend
more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

"Paul K. Dickman" fired this volley in
:

The other does decent work at a decent price. They do most of the work
for the hotel and restaurant trade.

http://www.baroquesilverplaters.com/

Thanks, I'll contact them. The piece is not currently available on #ba#.

LLoyd

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 3.70...
Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. A local shop claimed to have
re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out
the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend
more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

Try a silversmith that makes the stuff! Most can electroplate worn plate.
Failing that, contact a manufacturing jeweller in you're area.

Steve R.

On Dec 2, 7:38*am, "Paul K. Dickman" wrote:
Most silverplate made in the last 150 years have a substrate of either
nickle silver or pewter or a combination of the two (cast pewter feet and
trims on a nickle body)

The nickle does not need a copper subplate. If it has pewter on it, the
pewter needs to be struck with a sulfate copper plate and some nickle to
keep the copper from absorbing the silver.

Cyanide silver plating builds up well and (unlike chrome) does not need to
have the old plate stripped. With moderate finishing a worn spot can be
overplated thick enough to be polished to invisibility.

If your wear exposes pewter, it becomes a much bigger pita.

$1500 is a lot of bread though.
We used to have 2 silverplaters here in Chicago. One was real expensive and
did the most beautiful work you have ever seen. They closed up and the
building is a toxic waste site.

The other does decent work at a decent price. They do most of the work for
the hotel and restaurant trade.

http://www.baroquesilverplaters.com/

I normally do brush plating touch up for the antique dealers around here,
but that is for looks, not longevity.
When they need more extensive work I send them there.

I have never actually used them myself, but the work I've seen was never
embarrassing.

Paul K. Dickman

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in messagenews:Xns9CD555A664C8Flloydspmindspringcom@2 16.168.3.70...

Wifey has a small silverplate gravy bowl which has been discontinued by
Oneida, and is/was in need of re-plating. *A local shop claimed to have
re-
done it, but in fact _painted_ and buffed the inside, rather than actually
stripping to copper (or filling) and re-plating.

She priced the work at a museum conservator's shop, and ducked back out
the
door upon hearing his $1500 price. *She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend
more
than that having it re-done.

Anyone here do this pro/semi-pro?

LLoyd

Thanks for telling why you need the copper and nickel first. I always
wondered but never got around to looking it up.
Karl

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:
... She'd like it done, but figures the
piece was only worth about $150 new, so it doesn't make sense to spend more
than that having it re-done.
....

Bad logic. A cousin of the sunk cost fallacy. It can't be bought new,
therefore the only criterion is: what's it worth to have it usable.
Could be rephrased as: what would I pay for a new one now, if they were
available.

I'm not trying to justify $1500, which is absurd, just to point out that
the $150 new cost, back when, is now irrelevant.

Bob