Caviar Roll Top Server Conservation

Caviar roll top server after conservation, made of of silver plated Britannia metal, manufactured c. 1883.

During my time in the Objects Lab at the Minnesota History Center, I found a passion for objects preservation through our work on varied projects. These included repairing a shattered glass from the Ramsey House and a long-term project of disassembling, cleaning and conserving, and reassembling a Tiffany wall hanging made of various metals, enamel, and ivory for future installation in its original historical site.

One of the projects I completed from start to finish in this lab was conserving a Victorian Era roll top dome caviar dish that showed evidence of past conservation efforts and signs of time-related patina and wear. To clean the surface while maintaining the intended look of the object, I cycled through a process of buffing with a calcium carbonate paste, thiourea rinsing and scrubbing, and alternating washes with dish soap and acetone.

This process was immensely satisfying to complete, as I was able to engage in discussions with my mentor on the chemical processes and learn how to balance conservational integrity with the results of the techniques we used. I also learned how to make quick decisions on which process would get me closer to the final goal, as well as how to work with a variety of chemical components.