Hide the Silver!

Silver cutlery and dishes were once coveted and included in the home for their beauty, usefulness and of course, as a status symbol. But they also represented a practical investment.

Cutlery and dishes were a needed item, and silver was durable, long-lasting, could be traded, pawned, handed down to the next generation; and at the end of the day ... sold to be melted down and re-used. Hence the saying "Hide the silver!" when someone was expected to visit the household with whom you weren't acquainted; or had reason to be suspicious of their poor character. It is also why many buffets and china cabinets had locks. Real silver is often very heavy and is hallmarked with various numbers and symbols which are helpful in tracing their age, place of origin and value.

Affordable Silver Plate

Silver plate became popular as a cost-effective alternative to silver and made it more widely available for the common public to attain. It is physically lighter than solid silver (though can be heavy if it has an encased lead plug for weight and stability). Silver plate items range from unmarked to marked with country of origin, a declaration of lead mounts/plug and can also be hallmarked or include the company name. I am not an expert, but to the best of my knowledge the lead content is not considered dangerous as it is not exposed at all. The lead is a contained "plug" fully encased within the item (usually within copper with the silver plate over top).

I have found multiples uses for vintage silver plate other than serving food anyway. A few are shown here ... and I keep finding more inspiration with each piece I add! You can polish away the tarnish, which looks nice in the shabby chic, romantic home ... or leave the patina for the more eclectic, bohemian, dark or magically witchy home.

Interested in Cinderella's transformation story?  You can read the first 6 chapters here which follow her Arrival at the Grove until now:

Chapter 1:
creepy-cinderella-creepydolls-collectordolls-vintagedolls.html
​Chapter 2:
creepy-cinderella-creepydolls-collectordolls-vintagedolls7928443.html
Chapter 3:
chapter-3-creepy-cinderella-cinderellas-cleaning-commences.html
Chapter 4:
chapter-4-creepy-cinderella-gets-a-shoe-shine-cinderella-creepydolls-vintagerestoration-vintagedolls.html
​Chapter 5:
chapter-5-creepy-cinderella-saving-a-lost-soul.html
Chapter 6:
​chapter-6-creepy-cinderella-the-dark-side-of-the-year.html

It's the dark time of the year, growing darker each night until Christmas, when, if we can raise enough good cheer, it will start to roll back towards the light.

In the meantime, the cats have figured out that those dark rainy afternoons are purr-fect catnap times!  The efforts to restore Creepy Cinderella must be working, as she seems to have found a new friend, who thinks she makes a very cozy companion.  I often find these two curled up together!

Isn't it amazing what a little soap and water can do!!                                                                              

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017 ​ 

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017 / edited 2019

Of course, in all the fairy tale versions of Cinderella; the most important item in her transformation was a new dress from her Fairy Godmother.  So we decided to start the whole cleaning process with the clothes.  The dress is actually in good condition.  Pink and white lace overlay with buttons and bows (all in good condition) over an attached pink slip.  Hook and eye closure at the back are okay.  Hair band solid and elastic still has a bit of stretch, but seriously discoloured ... and the smell!  Okay, so atrocious - I can't even begin to describe it, but worse than the smell was the feel of these clothes.  They felt stiff, sticky and "crunchy" if that's possible to imagine.  So, so much dirt.  So into the tub they go!

After two or three rinses, the water finally ran perfectly clear - here we are drying in the sun!  The clothes turned out pretty good actually - still discoloured (especially the socks and hair band) but the contrast is considerably more subtle now.  Best of all they feel soft and smell sweet!

Tune in next week when we'll try our hand at cleaning those dreadful shoes!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017 ​

Okay, I admit it, that's a pretty provocative title - but essentially accurate.  I mean look at this gal.  She is filthy!  I don't know how she was stored, in a basement, attic, under the stairs, closet, garage ... but wherever it was, she was allowed to accumulate years and years of dust and grime.  She was exposed to sunlight, damp, cobwebs and smoke - you name it - this poor little girl has suffered it.

It was difficult to take pictures that show just how extensive the damage is and the depth of the dirt.  But here are a few snaps.  Some of the poses are just not lady-like - but necessary to show the terrible condition of this dolly!

I don't think Cinderella saw a soul for years and years.  Because anyone with any kind of heart (or sense of cleanliness!) would have witnessed the deterioration occurring and stored her differently.  Poor Cinderella - she needs a Fairy Godmother for this job!  The littlest fairy in the Grove is going to help me and we'll see what we can do for this girl - while respecting all her original charm of course.  Stay tuned next week when Cinderella's Cleaning Commences!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017  

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017                                                                                          (gif courtesty of animated images.org) ​