i have this silver tray…i know tht its sterling silver…i dont know the age however…it was made by the frank smith silver co…he only produced from 1886 till 1958 when he died. i planned on selling the tray and dont know if cleaning it will increase of decrease the value.ive included some pics…any opinions or info is appreciated…tnx
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Cleaning will definitely increase the value when there is as much tarnish as we see here. Silver is supposed to be shiny. You should clean by hand with a good quality silver polish and not be tempted by anything mechanical or chemical.
I absolutely agree with silvermakersmarks. Check out my Silver Abrasion Ratings page here: [url]http://www.hermansilver.com/silver-polish-abrasion-ratings.htm[/url]. Since the tray is very black with thick tarnish, I would start with any of the polishes in the “Very Mild Abrasion” category.