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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Hello Wendy,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">This is something that is often debated between conservators and curators. At some point they should not get any darker. Once an even tarnish layer or patina
forms on the surface they should remain the same colour as long as they are handled with gloves and not exposed to other contaminants. Metals are very sensitive to oils from our hands and as they will etch into surface and cause localized tarnishing.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">I would not polish them because I like the tarnished aged look. Every time you polish something you are stripping a thin layer of the metal off. This is not
a problem if it is solid copper, brass or silver. If it is only plated then at some point you will strip away all the copper/silver leaving the base metal to show through. Polishing can be very time consuming and will increase the chances of damage due to
increased handling. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Saying that, if you have something that you know never would have been allowed to tarnish in its working life then you might wasn’t to keep it polished.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sorry it’s not a clear yes or no, but hopefully some more food for thought!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Nikki Bose<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Curator of Collections<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Kelowna Museum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:nbose@kelownamuseums.ca">nbose@kelownamuseums.ca</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> bcma-bounces@lists.vifa.ca [mailto:bcma-bounces@lists.vifa.ca]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.<br>
<b>Sent:</b> July 24, 2019 10:29 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> bcma questions<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [BCMA] should we polish brass and copper?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The Greek Heritage Project Museum in Victoria has a number of "old", as up to 100 years old, brass and copper artifacts, mostly cooking and coffee pots. They are becoming darker as time goes on. We are back and forth about whether to clean
and polish them or to allow their age to show.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Part of the issue is that the polished items tend to then be very bright and lose some of their age.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The pictures may help.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Wendy<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Wendy Smylitopoulos<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Curator<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Greek Heritage Project Museum<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">4648 Elk Lake Drive, Victoria BC V8Z 5M1<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><<a href="mailto:greekhpm@gmail.com">greekhpm@gmail.com</a>><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">250 419-3151<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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