Safe plaques

Warren63

Here’s some plaques I just cleaned. Some were painted so needed stripped, some had been wire wool damaged and some over dipped to the point they had turned pink through the copper leeching out. The Ratner one must be pink brass? I’ve had it on the polisher and it just won’t come through to the gold, it’s as if it’s that colour right through. I have a couple of George price plates and one of them seems the same. I’ve seen some advertised on flea bay described as pink brass or bronze but I always thought they had been left too long in lemon juice because I’ve done so myself. Always comes off on the polisher though. That Ratner has me puzzled.

Warren63

Warren63 wrote
Here’s some plaques I just cleaned. Some were painted so needed stripped, some had been wire wool damaged and some over dipped to the point they had turned pink through the copper leeching out. The Ratner one must be pink brass? I’ve had it on the polisher and it just won’t come through to the gold, it’s as if it’s that colour right through. I have a couple of George price plates and one of them seems the same. I’ve seen some advertised on flea bay described as pink brass or bronze but I always thought they had been left too long in lemon juice because I’ve done so myself. Always comes off on the polisher though. That Ratner has me puzzled.

I’ll try again.

[unknown]

Tom Gordon

Warren63 wrote
I’ll try again.

Gunmetal or phosphor bronze were infrequently used for plates especially by Hobbs Hart.
depending which acid you use, if you take the zinc out of the brass it will look coppery or if you take the copper out it will look silver and zinky

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

I use mild sulphuric for cleaning generally and find it brilliant as long as its only brass or stainless going in the tank, as soon as copper Or bronze goes in it changes instantly. Everything after that will clean but come out with a noticeable pink-bronze tint. I’m guessing that as part of the reactions with the acid, certain molecules end up suspended in the solution and there’s a sort of ionic plating going on. Never was much good at chemistry though…

If you really need to know 100% then test the back of the Ratner plaque- a fine scrape with a needle file in the most scuffed-up inconspicuous area will more than likely reveal the brass underneath, as Tom said very few plaques were cast in bronze, and it’s more than likely a discolouration of some sort…

Russell Stoner

Nice to see your collection of plates.. Long may they grow!!!!

Your nice pink Ratner plate… Could it be bronze, not copper?

Regards
Russell

Huw Eastwood

Russell Stoner wrote
Nice to see your collection of plates.. Long may they grow!!!!

Your nice pink Ratner plate… Could it be bronze, not copper?

Regards
Russell

Err, don’t think anyone suggested the Ratner might be copper…
Coppers been mentioned, but not as the plate being actually made of it.

Bronze is a possibility but would be unusual for a Ratner, but then anythings possible- I’m probably last to discover this as I no longer collect them and haven’t looked around for a while, but there’s repro’s currently being cast in India of the well known makers, and also some pretty obscure ones- the ones I’ve seen so far have all been brass, but who knows?

[unknown]

Russell Stoner

I’ve got one!!!

Without testing the metal, I’ would say it is a copper/bronze alloy.

MaxVaultage wrote
Err, don’t think anyone suggested the Ratner might be copper…
Coppers been mentioned, but not as the plate being actually made of it.

Bronze is a possibility but would be unusual for a Ratner, but then anythings possible- I’m probably last to discover this as I no longer collect them and haven’t looked around for a while, but there’s repro’s currently being cast in India of the well known makers, and also some pretty obscure ones- the ones I’ve seen so far have all been brass, but who knows?

[unknown]

Huw Eastwood

if you’ve got one the same Russell they obviously are out there and that means Warren’s presumably isn’t a brass one left with the pinkish tint from cleaning. I was more for the dis-coloration from lack of zinc like Tom said, as I’ve also experienced it, but if yours is the same and it’s not just on the surface then my bet is 100% it’ll be Bronze. If it’s copper I’ll eat my boots…steel toe caps first..

Warren63

Tried the file on the reverse of Ratners and its definitely the same all the way through. Therefore I’ll settle on it being bronze. I have a few Hobbs escutcheons and plates that are also bronze but I bought them titled brass or bronze so there was not much to debate there. Thanks once again for all your help and opinions given guys. Respect!