Posted 14 years ago
renoir911
(36 items)
Thank you for coming to my page to view these medals. I posted them here not knowing what category they belong to. As you can see they are old and they need a good cleaning. I need an expert's advice on how to clean such medals without causing any damage. I do not wish to clean the fabric, only the medals.
I look forward to your suggestions.
Thank you.
Well my advice would be wipe them down with a very damp cloth and dry!. I would not polish them in any way. The Patina is what collectors want in these Old Medals. Cleaning them to much would not be a wise investment. Dave
I would leave them just as they are, I believe this is called patina.
Great minds think alike Dave.
You may even think about a shadow box, this way you clean them, mount them under glass and enjoy! Dave
LOL Officalfuel! We just to good! Dave
I ment to put LOL because I don't have near the knowledge you have.
I second, I mean third, that! Don't clean off the patina!
And this is exactly what I like best about this website, the expert advice. Last night I was thinking about cleaning them but decided to present them here first and ask you guys. I need to learn about "patina"! I will do as you say, you are wise guys hahaha, I mean it in the real sense of the word. Very wise and knowlegeable! Many thanks.
Do not clean these medals. None of them need it.
Oh well I hope he didn't clean them anyway.
Those medals look very special, and as old as they are you are very fortunate to still have them. Very nice !
Yes, they are quite old and desirable, Debbie. All but one is French. I believe the silver one at the right depicts a young Queen Victoria, and is British. I’m pretty sure it’s for the Crimean war (1854-1856) I’d love to see the other side of that one. Renoir, you might find the name of the recipient impressed around the outside edge. The ones with green and black stripes commemorate the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. There is another silver one with the face of Napoleon III, who ruled at the time of the Franco Prussian War. The bronze one with the slot on top commemorates WWI. You’ve already zeroed in on the one that mentions Napoleon I, who died May 5, 1821