Tips, Tips, and More Tips from July 2004

Reverse-painted lamps should never be washed. Just dust them.

Old mirrors reflect light with an off-white tone. Hold the edge of a white card against the glass. If the reflection matches the color of the card, the mirror probably dates from the 1850s or later. If the card looks off-white-slightly yellow or gray-the mirror was made before 1850. (House Beautiful)

Lacquer is a clear coating that is put on brass or copper or silver to keep the metal from darkening. All lacquer will eventually yellow, peel, or break down, and the metal will darken. When this happens, you must have the lacquer removed and then replaced. Do not lacquer pieces that will be used, like serving bowls or trays.

You can clean aluminum with silver polishing cream. It’s good for the new aluminum wheels on your car, too.