Unusual Brass Repairs

Brass Maritime Candlestick Repaired

This brass maritime candlestick arrived broken. The customer did not want to have it polished, just repaired. in the left photo you can see a close-up of the repair. I added a reinforcement of sheet brass to strengthen the repair, and this was all silver soldered as a strong repair. The repair was also aesthetically consistent with the age of the maritime candlestick. After the soldering, I put a patina on the brass so that it blended with the original finish.

Rare Brass and enamel Candlestick

This brass and enamel candlestick arrived with a broken leg. In addition, the legs had also broken away from the brass base. The enamel added a level of complexity because heat from silver soldering can damage the enamel. For some reason, the legs didn’t fit back into the stand either because they were all bent. After hours of dedicated effort, I was able to repair this without changing the aged patina. Repairs like this are never easy. Antique ethnic objects are always a Pandora’s box of problems.

Antique Chinese Vase polished

This antique Chinese vase had been used as a plant holder for years which contributed to the corrosion of the finish. Because it was cast brass, I do not recommend lacquer. The porosity in the metal will always cause problems with the lacquer. It will look nicer, longer with an occasional hand polish.

Brass door knocker before and after polishing

Brass is very difficult to polish when it gets this dark and oxidized. The casting itself was a little coarse. The result is a significant transformation of this family heirloom.