Restoring and cleaning antique brass without damaging it is a skill that can be learned, but get it wrong and your brass pieces can lose their value very rapidly. First, however, you have to be sure it is brass, so how to you do that?

Is It Genuine Brass?

Genuine brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, generally 67% copper and 33% zinc. The other alloy some confuse it with is the harder and less malleable bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin. Some alleged brass items are actually zinc or a ferrous metal coated with an antique brass finish – a form of brass paint. This is a popular finish for articles such as door handles and faux brass candlesticks intended for decoration.

The color is the same as that of brass, and the coating can be designed to replicate the appearance of old brass. It can also be varnished to give it a shine. Imagine a bowl, for example, pressed from plate iron or steel, perhaps hammered with the ball end of a hammer, and then polished and coated with a transparent yellow lacquer. That would look just like brass. The obvious way to test that would be to scrape it and determine if the lacquer or paint scrapes off – but use an inconspicuous part of the item because if the brass is genuine you would likely damage it!

A better test to tell genuine antique brass from coated ferrous metals or zinc is to try a magnet on it. A magnet will not stick to genuine brass. You should also be suspicious if it is too bright and shiny because genuine antique brass tends to be dark and dull. It wears over time, and the copper oxidizes to turn it a darkish color.

Is it Lacquered?

It is unlikely for badly maintained antique brass to be of a very shiny yellow color, and it certainly won’t have a clear lacquer protecting it as much of the modern brass you find today has. However, if the brass has been recently cleaned then it could look a bright shiny yellow color, and might also have been lacquered for protection. Nevertheless, lacquer is not a good sign on alleged antique brass pieces.

You can normally tell a virgin clean brass surface from a lacquered surface if you look closely enough. There is visible difference between a polished metal surface and one coated with clear gloss lacquer. You could also try scraping the lacquer off from an inconspicuous part of the item.

Cleaning Antique Brass

Restoring and cleaning antique brass generally involves removing dirt and oxidation and then protecting it from further oxidation. If your brass has been neglected for years, then first steep it in undiluted household ammonia or acetic acid (vinegar) for an hour. Caustic ammonia will attack the oxidation, dirt and grime – and also the metal, so that any light engraving might be reduced or even lost!

However, although acids will attack mainly the tarnish, it does so effectively and an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice might be better for heavy oxidation or tarnishing. Light tarnishing would respond well to ammonia that also removes dirt, and is contained in many commercial metal polishes. For a natural cleaning method, simply cut a lemon in half and sprinkle some salt on it to offer some abrasive power and then rub that on the brass. You could also sprinkle some vinegar over the lemon to get the power of both. Don’t hold back because you won’t damage brass by rubbing hard.

Worcester sauce or tomato ketchup are also effective brass cleaners, but if your brass has been lacquered then you will have to remove it first.

Removing Lacquer from Antique Brass

Antique brass should not be lacquered, but if it is then the lacquer can be removed in a number of ways. First, heat up some water until you can just bear it on your hands and then pour it over the piece. If the lacquer is thin you should be able to peel it off while it is hot. Failing that, try nail polish remover (acetone) which should be effective, or methylated spirit (denatured alcohol). Most lacquers are based on acetone or alcohol-soluble resins.

Using Brasso and Other Metal Polishes in Cleaning Antique Brass

Commercial brass cleaners such as Brasso can also be used rather than the natural cleaners mentioned above. There is nothing wrong with such metal polishes, but they tend to leave whitish residue of silica in indentations, round copper rivets and in fine engraving. If you only have a flat surface to clean, with no area that can collect the dried silica, then Brasso is fine.

It contains ammonia and also hydrocarbons to dissolve grease and dirt. Some forms contain alcohol and oxalic acid, so Brasso basically contains many of the cleaning agents recommended above. The silica is there as an abrasive agent rather than the salt that can also be used. Those that profess such cleaners to be damaging to the metal are partially wrong because it is no more damaging than any other cleaner – it is just the residue that it leaves if not cleaned off properly that is the problem.

Maintenance of Antique Brass

After you have cleaned your brass, simply leave it. Do not keep cleaning it whenever it loses its shine because you are liable to leach the copper out to the top, and that will then be oxidized to the greenish color (verdigris) of copper oxide that most pure copper items revert to when left open to the air.

You could lacquer it, although it can look a bit false, but many love the patination that genuine antique brass takes on as it ages. Nevertheless, a light spraying of lacquer can go part way towards to complete protection and the natural look. You could also spray or coat it with a light coating of wax to keep out the air (oxygen) that causes the tarnish, but that is also easily removed.

By taking care when restoring and cleaning antique brass you will maintain its lovely rich warm color and protect it from the oxidation that is responsible for the tarnish.

A last and important warning: If you have antique brass that you have collected for the purpose of investment, it is strongly recommended that you do not clean the brass finish. Any removal of the patination is considered undesirable to collectors. It is the same as removing the finish of 200 year-old furniture – you just wouldn’t do it. Removing the aged finish can greatly devalue your antique.

We invite you to shop for antique brass in central Kentucky!

As a boy, Joe Ley would peek through the tents at Louisville’s Fontaine Ferry Park to watch families enjoying the amusement park rides there. The brightly painted carousel horses, in particular, caught his eye.

“I couldn’t afford to get in, but I always thought that if I ever had any money, I’d buy those horses,” he recalls.

Joe was an orphan, raised to fend for himself. He was passed from home to home throughout his childhood.

“It wasn’t the brightest light in my life,” Joe says of his youth, “but it opened my eyes to doing better. I had to make it on my own – or not make it.”

Joe is recalling his childhood from his office inside Joe Ley Antiques – the antique store he owns and which is named for him, located just down the street from where Fontaine Ferry Park once stood. Inside the store, among countless other unusual pieces of memorabilia, are brightly painted carousel horses from the amusement park which closed in 1969.

For an antique lover, a visit to Joe Ley Antiques is a bit like a trip to an amusement park. The shop has been described as “an experience,” and patrons have come from near and far – even as far as Asia and New Zealand – to savor it.

“People say, ‘I’ve never been to a place like this,’” Joe says. “That’s a good compliment. It‘s not your normal antique shop.”

The structure which houses Joe Ley Antiques is an antique itself. The main building is a schoolhouse, built in the 1890s. That building is joined to another structure by a walkway. In between, shoppers can stroll past gardens speckled with antique urns, streetlamps, and sculptures.

“It’s an enormous building,” Joe says. “Two acres under one roof. … Thirteen-foot ceilings on all three levels. … The building occupies half of a city block.”

Visitors quickly realize they’ve discovered a gem. Where else are shoppers greeted by two towering toy soldiers and then dazzled by hundreds of chandeliers dangling from above?

“When you see it from the outside, you have to want to come in and see what’s inside,” Joe says.

Joe can’t quite put his finger on the most unique item in his store – but he is quick to point out what might be the largest: A 40-foot cupola he rescued from the top of a building slated for demolition. No doubt coveted by many, the cupola, Joe says, is not for sale.

How does an antique store become stocked with so many unique pieces? With persistence and plenty of elbow grease.

Joe Ley has been in business for 48 years – dating back to his humble beginnings, when he drove a shoddy truck from town to town, pilfering through barns and sheds in search of old items he could buy and resell. (Yes, this type of antiquing began way before ‘American Pickers’.)

“I couldn’t afford a motel room … so I’d pull out a quilt and sleep in the back of the truck,” he recalls. Knowing that he was rising above the hardships of his childhood made all the hard work worthwhile.

“My work ethic might have gotten a little carried away,” he laughs, “but when you’re doing it for yourself, it feels a lot better.”

Joe’s original clients mainly consisted of restaurateurs who wanted unique themes in their places of business, but his business has evolved as trends have changed. He was rehabilitating old shutters and doors long before architectural salvage became a popular theme.

“I went several years without selling any of it,” Joe says. “Nobody wanted it. But when they did want it, I had it. … I try to stay with what’s in vogue.”

Don’t be fooled by the elaborate items in Joe Ley’s store. The business owner ensures that even the thrifty can enjoy finding bargains there.

“We have anything from $1 up,” Joe says. “If you want one plate, we’ve got 2,000 of them. You can buy one piece of tile, glasses, a bowl. … It’s not all museum stuff.”

Joe Ley Antiques is located at 615 East Market Street in Louisville. Store hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. In spite of its size, the business is maintained primarily by Joe and his daughter – so if you’re making a special trip, it’s best to call first (502-583-4014) and make sure the store will be open. When it is, you’re certainly in for an unusual treat!

Tricia Neal is an award-winning journalist/photographer based in Somerset, KY.

Restoring and repairing an antique chair is not a job to be taken on lightly, and it is not the intention here to offer instructions on how to carry out the restoration of an old chair. However, certain repair jobs are not always as difficult as most people believe them to be, and here is some advice to keep in mind when considering whether or not to tackle what at first sight might appear to be difficult restoration jobs.

What is an Antique Chair?

First, we have to define the meaning of the term ‘antique’. This definition changes according to the country you live in or the type of article we are discussing. In the USA, for example, the U.S. customs used the Tariff Act of 1930 to define an object manufactured prior to 1930 as being an antique. That is believed to be because mass production began after that date.

However, take that definition to Europe and they will scratch their heads at that and claim that an antique chair is one over 100 years old. That would appear to make more sense, since it then permits items to become antiques at a certain age – just like me! Some items become antiques at 50 years, and there are other definitions besides these.

Nevertheless, let’s use the term ‘antique’ to mean ‘old’ for our present purpose, and discuss some ways in which relatively untrained people can restore their own antique chairs and sofas. Restoration and repair can cover anything from complete reupholstery from the frame up to replacing missing casters. Here are some of the more common repairs needed on antique chairs.

Common Faults with an Antique Chair

Among the more common problems with an antique chair that would involve a repair or even restoration are the aforementioned missing casters, damaged varnishing, torn upholstery and damaged springs. Each of these can be resolved with a little knowledge, although it would likely take a skilled craftsman to return the chair to its original state.

Replacing Casters
Casters come in sets of 4+. What that means is that if one is missing, as frequently happens, then it is unlikely that you will be able to source a single caster of exactly the same design. In order for your antique chair to look right, it is better that you purchase a full set of casters rather than ‘make do’ with one that approximates the other three in appearance.

You can purchase genuine antique caster sets, often of the same period as your chair or modern casters that are designed to look like antiques. First you have to remove the old casters: this is often simply a matter of using a large screwdriver to pry the casters from their sockets, although if the new sockets are larger than the old ones, you may have to drill new wholes for the new sockets. Some of the newer old chairs have caster sockets, or even the entire caster, that are screwed onto the under-frame.

For those with sockets, simply drill the hole of the correct size, tap the sockets into the legs of the chair and then press or gently tap the new casters in. You will find it fairly easy, although you have to make sure that when you purchase them, the sockets of the new casters are not smaller than those of the ones they are replacing. It is easier to bore new larger holes than it is to fill in the old and then create smaller holes.

Revarnishing Antique Chair Legs
Antique chair legs tend to get damaged first, before any other part of the chair, and also the arms and back if the chair is not fully upholstered. Whether it is necessary to remove the upholstery first or not, the following is the way to re-varnish the woodwork.

First remove the old varnish: a good thick gel paint remover is best. Brush it on fairly thickly, and make sure you don’t miss any. Leave it until the varnish softens and starts to blister, then scrape it off. It should come off easily without excessively hard scraping, and a putty knife should be enough – never use a sharp table knife or you will be liable to cut into the wood and cause damage that will be expensive to restore.

Then use steel wool to remove the remaining varnish. Finish off using a fine sand paper, and according to the type of wood, apply a spirit-based wood stain or just a clear or stained varnish. Water-based wood stains can be used, but they tend to raise the grain of the wood and you might then find you have to sand it down again for a smooth finish.

Use either a satin or gloss varnish to finish off, depending upon the look you are trying to achieve. Ordinary resin-based varnishes can be used, but if you want to remain traditional then use a spirit-based shellac varnish.

Finally. . .
The key to restoring and repairing an antique chair is to take your time, make sure you know what you are doing and try to be as faithful to the original materials and colors as you can. Missing casters and damaged legs are just two common problems you will find with old chairs, whether they are officially classified as antique or not. There are other problems, and while replacing or repairing broken wooden parts and reupholstery are more specialized, you can do it yourself if you learn how.

Click here to Shop for antique chairs in Central Kentucky!

When you think of the Kentucky Derby, all sorts of pictures may pop into your mind – mint juleps, beautifully dressed ladies wearing elegant hats, souvenir pins and the laid-back charm of the South. The Kentucky Derby is a time of glamor and glitz and also a great time to increase your collection of paraphernalia and collectibles – just for the fun of it – or as an investment.

This year, Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery celebrated the occasion of the Kentucky Derby by offering “the world’s most exclusive mint julep cup.” Woodford’s collection of 73 silver cups — exclusively designed by Tiffany & Company – was offered on Derby Day at Churchill Downs, and were also available for purchase online at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com. The cups sold for $1,000 each and all proceeds benefited The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center.

You may not want to spend that much on Kentucky Derby collectibles, but there are other bargains to be had. Recently, in an online article on best-selling eBay items, it was reported that vintage Kentucky Derby souvenirs were fetching high price bids, including drinking glasses from the 1930’s and 40’s, selling for as much as $4,000 per glass.

Hats are some of the most popular Kentucky Derby items sold online. They range from vintage hats worn to the big event by society ladies of times gone by to more flamboyant (and sometimes a little weird) hats worn by Derby goers who are trying to out-do each other with their outrageous fashion expressions. Many of these hats are extremely desirable as additions to your memorabilia collection.

Kentucky Derby tickets can also be highly collectible – especially the winning ones. They can be purchased online in groups, arranged behind glass and framed – or, you can purchase one-of-a-kind tickets and start your own framed collection.

Pins of every shape and size are also a great representation of the Kentucky Derby. Festival and Pegasus pins are popular purchases and can be found through online or offline sources in mint condition (still in the box), or in sets displayed behind glass and framed. There are trophy pins as well as jockey and winning horse pins. You can even find a pin depicting the head of Secretariat, one of the most popular horses to ever run in the Kentucky Derby.

Items of Kentucky Derby clothing include girls, men’s and women’s shirts and comfortable scrubs that sport the Kentucky Derby logo. You can wear them to show your support for one of the greatest sports events in the world or simply because they’re fun and comfortable.

Derby hats, pins, glasses, shirts and canes are just a few of the less expensive offerings that can be found. These items can be whimsical, useful or simply decorative – and you’ll own a bit of history besides.

If you didn’t make it to this year’s Kentucky Derby, never fear. Derby collectibles are easily found in many of the antiques shops in and around central Kentucky. And, there’s always next year, so start planning for your collection now! Happy hunting!

Copyright 2010 – Kimberly Clay

When a lover of antiques finds a special piece, a place for it in the home just seems to appear, no matter how many other pieces are already there.

The same seems to apply to Ann Greely’s shop on Lexington’s Main Street. The old Victorian house which serves as the headquarters for Ann Greely Interiors and Antiques is filled with antiques from far-away locales – yet Ann has found that there’s always room for one more special piece.

“If it is something I love, I can always find a place for it in one of our settings,” she says. “And, hopefully, someone else will walk in and fall in love with it too.”

Customers who step into the 19th century structure might feel as if they’ve entered Ann’s home. Ann uses her talents in interior design to create a realistic environment in her store.

“With the combination of interior design and antiques, people can come in and get ideas for their own homes,” Ann says. “We don’t have antiques stacked up or placed randomly in a room, but it is like a home setting. You could actually live here.”

Ann Greely has been in the interior design business for nearly 40 years – yet, surprisingly, she never obtained a degree in the field.

“When I was a student at the University of Kentucky, the design department was in the School of Home Economics, and you had to study things like cooking, which did not interest me in the least,” she explains. “So I opted for journalism and French.”

In the early 1970s, Ann was teaching French at Midway College – but her heart wasn’t in it.

“I had always loved everything to do with houses, from the design phase to the furnishing,” she says.

When an offer came to open a design studio with a partner in Midway, she knew it was time to follow her heart. Within a year, Ann was able to quit her teaching job and become a full time designer.

The move into the antique business came naturally, Ann says.

“We were often asked to find pieces for our clients,” she says. “So we eventually began to stock a few antiques as space allowed.”

Ann and her business partner quickly outgrew their tiny, second-floor business, so they purchased a distillery’s grain storage warehouse – complete with a hand-operated elevator, metal shutters, a sliding barn door … and no plumbing – and converted it into a design studio and antique shop.

“Grain sifted down from the second floor for years whenever we moved heavy furniture,” Ann recalls.

The business continued to grow.

“We purchased the building next door, and cut an opening between the two buildings,” she says. “The new building, which housed most of the antiques, was called ‘The Bird Cage.’”

In 1980, Ann received an offer which would ultimately expand the realm of her business. She was hired to complete a design project in Ireland – and there, she was exposed to a new market of antiques, not only in Ireland, but also in England and France.

Ann was originally browsing the European shops for items for her clients in Ireland, but soon she began importing the antiques to her shop in Midway. The designer herself also began to fall in love with country French antiques.

“Country French has so much variety,” she says. “For me, the fun of buying antiques is the search for the unique. … I think that the uniqueness of the pieces that I have brought back from my travels, not only to Europe, but around the United States and to Bali, have distinguished us from some other dealers over the years. I always search for things that will give an individual look to the homes of my clients.”

Ann remained in business with her partner until the 1990s until her daughter, Shannon Totty, also a designer, left her career in Washington, D.C., to work with her.

“In 1996, we jumped at the opportunity to move the business to a historic Queen Anne Victorian house built about 1890 on Main Street in Lexington,” Ann says.

“With the addition of a new area in the back, we have ten rooms to display our ever-changing collection of French, English and American antiques in room settings. Our room settings are constantly changing, and that keeps people interested in coming in to see what we have found.”

While Ann’s antique business has been a great success, she hasn’t forgotten her interior design roots. Ann and Shannon have designed and decorated homes in several states in the U.S., as well as in Europe and the Bahamas. Ann says her goal as an interior designer is to create an environment which reflects the personality of her client.

Ann Greely Interiors and Antiques is located at 497 East Main Street in Lexington. Store hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays by appointment. For more information, visit www.anngreelyinteriors.com.

(Tricia Neal is an award-winning journalist/photographer based in Somerset, Ky.)