Below is a preventative care brief for silver artifacts created by Autumn Smith
Silver
Silver (Ag) is one of the most popular elements found that presents the highest levels of reflectivity and conductivity, thermal and electrical.
Appropriate Temperature-Melting point: 1,763 °F
Relative Humidity-High level of humidity (60%) will tarnish silver and cause corrosion
Light Levels-Reflects light, no limit of light exposure
Pest-Pest is not attracted to the element of silver but is attracted to the light that silver can project. Pests that are nocturnal and have positive phototaxis can be attracted to silver because its light reflection
Pest Prevention- Storage and isolation is the best pest prevention for silver
Storage Conditions- Tarnish-resistant flannel boxes, bags, or drawers. Sulfur absorbing materials should be used. Items should be stored in dry-dust free areas.
Display-Silver items should be displayed in display cases, preferably lined with sulfur absorbing material. Collection managers should be mindful of silver items close to extreme temperatures that are accessible to guests.
Ex. A silver trophy that is accessible to the public should not be kept near windows with great light exposure that could cause the item to overheat and cause severe burns.
Handling-The natural oil secretion from our hands can cause corrosion and can be difficult to remove from silver. When handling silver, it is essential to wear cotton or vinyl gloves to avoid contamination.
Silver is a soft metal that can easily be scratched or dented. All items should be handled a less as possible to avoid the possibility of damage. If a silver artifact has handles, it is still recommended to handle the item with both hands surrounding the body of the item.
Cleaning-Silver artifacts in a collection should not be routinely cleaned or polished, as every time that it is cleaned or polished, some of the silver is removed. Items should not be immersed in water as that will cause damage to the silver, but cotton balls infused with methylated can be used to remove corrosion. For professional use, silver foam can be used to clean silver applied on a damp soft cotton cloth. For everyday use and amateurs, laundry detergent can be applied with a damp cloth to clean contamination.
Potential Issues- Corrosion is the most frequent contamination that occurs with silver. This issue can be prevented through proper storage of low humidity and keeping the item free of dust. Collection managers should consult a conservationist when silver artifacts have become severely corroded due to improper cleaning, or lack thereof, causing hardening corrosion that can not be removed by cloth.
- https://maas.museum/app/uploads/2017/02/looking_after_silver.pdf
- http://www.ala.org/alcts/preservationweek/howto/artifacts
- https://www.nationalww2museum.org/preservation-artifacts
- Buck, Rebecca A, Jean Allman Gilmore. Museum Registration Methods 5th Edition. Washington D.C: American Association of Museums Press, 2010