Rolltop Caviar Server Conservation
Caviar roll top server after conservation, made of of silver plated Britannia metal, manufactured c. 1883.
Rolltop Caviar Dish After Conservation - Front View, nickelsilver and britannia, 6”x7”x6.5”, 2024
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.
