Elle Friedberg
Before treatment, normal illumination.
COFFEE POT
Silver, enamel, elephant ivory, and jade
Materials
ca. 1884
Year
Tiffany and Company
Maker
Collection
Walters Art Museum
This coffee pot was designed in 1886 by American silversmith Edward C. Moore (1827-1891) for the 1889 Paris Exposition. Tiffany and co. became known for creating these forms without visible seam lines. In an impressive feat, the body of this coffee pot was raised from a single sheet! the design was developed by enameler John T. Curran. The decoration on the coffee pot was accomplished with repoussé, chasing, and champlevé enameling. In some areas, a more painterly enameling technique was used to mix different colors of enamels within one recess. It was confirmed by colleagues in the field that the surface is tarnished not intentionally patinated to appear dark.
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A version of the coffee pot was made with a matching tray and sweetmeat dish. Three additional coffee pots of the same style were made in the 1890s.
Detail of dark and uneven tarnish.
CONDITION BEFORE TREATMENT
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Dark and uneven tarnish overall. There are some areas of patchy black sulfide tarnish throughout. Under magnification, the silver is pitted in select areas
Polishing tests.
KEY TREATMENT STEPS
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Solvent cleaned the silver with mineral spirits using a white Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser and cosmetic sponges (avoiding areas of enamel, ivory, and jade). This removed a significant amount of tarnish, but the surface remained patchy and some of the most tenacious black sulfide tarnish remained.
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Polished silver using 0.3µ microalumina to selectively polish darkest areas of tarnish and 0.05µ microalumina to polish the silver overall. Cleared polish residues with a dilute solution of Ecosurf EH 9 in deionized water, followed by 100% deionized water on cotton swabs.
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Surface cleaned the enamel with deionized water or 1:1 ethanol: deionized water on cotton swabs.
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Surface cleaned the jade and ivory with deionized water on cotton swabs.
TREATMENT RESULTS
Before treatment, three-quarters proper right view.
Before treatment, three-quarters proper left view.
After treatment, three-quarters proper right view.
After treatment, three-quarters proper left view.
Coffee pot installed in the Silber Gallery at the Walters Art Museum.