House and Garden 
Clock dials are antiqued by running an 
even coating of varnish and mummy 
over them. The varnish is then rub¬ 
bed down with a blending brush to 
obliterate all gradations of tone. 
Carved Colonial mirrors gdded and 
surmounted by screaming eagles are 
made so close to Broadway that it is 
laughable. Sentimental old dames de¬ 
light in them and I have seen them bow 
and prink before them picturing in their 
minds the scenes that were once reflected 
in their depths. One day when I was 
showing one to a prospective customer 
1 became so absorbed in the contem¬ 
plation of a rather poor job that I called 
to Fritz to thoroughly antique it before 
it left the shop. The aged lady for¬ 
tunately did not notice my remark so 
intent was she upon examining her 
prize. 
Sheffield plate and other silverware 
together with antique jewelry is also 
made in the heart ot the city but the 
dealer must exercise great care in the 
selection of designs and marks. A 
large quantity of so called Sheffield 
plate is far from the genuine in shape 
and design, as anyone who studies the 
matter will readily see. Placing silver¬ 
ware in a hox into which sulphur has 
been sprinkled will give the desired 
result and a thorough rubbing with a 
cloth soon removes superfluous age. 
There is probably more prematurely 
old brass and copper than anything 
else on the market to-day anti why it is, 
as a rule, so poorly antiqued is a mys¬ 
tery, for ammonia and sulphuric acid 
will do the trick to perfection. The 
ease with which people can be fooled 
seems to lead the dealer into careless ways but for 
the sake of those whose work is conscientious 1 trust 
that all who read this article will 
in future devote more attention to 
the bottoms of candlesticks and 
the backs of sconces, for brass can¬ 
dlesticks are very easily antiqued 
and sell readily. 
China is antiqued by first rub¬ 
bing it with pumice, to remove 
superfluous edges, and then sub¬ 
merging it for some hours in a 
solution of muriatic acid, chicory 
and water. Upon its removal 
from the acid bath it is rubbed 
until it is more or less clean. 
Wedgwood jasper ware with its 
classic cameo figures is antiqued in 
this way and there is always a market 
for it. Hydrofluoric acid is used on 
marble and glass but it is very danger¬ 
ous and difficult to handle. 
Cast iron andirons are simply allowed 
to rust for a while and are then rubbed 
with lamp black and lard, which gives 
them an aspect of age which seems to 
satisfy the most exacting purchasers. 
A friend of mine, whose house is a 
museum of everything sought for by 
collectors, from rare and priceless paint¬ 
ings to a collection of stuffed humming 
birds, recently purchased a massive pair 
of andirons seemingly well authentica¬ 
ted as veritable antiques. They were 
of wrought iron and in design suggested 
their proper placement as being in a 
Feudal Castle. They were delivered 
with a fine coating of rust, which seemed 
to my friend to add at least a century 
to their age. His wife suggested to the 
man who was delivering them that they 
should have been given a coat of oil be¬ 
fore sending them up. The man replied, 
“Sure ma’am, they’ve been standing out 
back of the shop ever since they were 
made six months ago to get that rust on 
’em.” The laugh has been on my friend 
ever since, and his family seem to enjoy 
his vexation. Pewter is of course exten¬ 
sively faked and although most of the 
pewter of Colonial days was sacrificed 
by loyal housewives to be made into 
bullets, they seem to have saved enough 
to furnish deadly missiles for several 
large armies. Various acids are used 
in antiquing it as rounded edges and a 
dull look are all that is required. Pew¬ 
ter kicked about and dented is usually 
antiqued sufficiently to pass any but tbe closest in¬ 
spection. The purchaser of antiques should always 
bear in mind the fact that the 
men who successfully make mod¬ 
ern antiques are thorough judges 
of what is correct in style, and 
that markings of famous cabi¬ 
net makers, silversmiths and pot¬ 
ters are not used without a com¬ 
paratively complete knowledge of 
the subject. The fact that china 
or silverware is marked is far 
from proof that it is old, for men 
clever enough to imitate the work 
of master hands are not to be 
caught omitting the mere detail 
of correct marking. 
WILLARD BANJO CLOCK 
The glasses represent Mount 
Vernon and the original 
cherry tree. 
Brass Candlesticks—Easily Antiqued 
222 
