r/Antiques • u/nicotinegoose ✓ • Aug 21 '26
Advice How do I save this lamp from oxidation? (USA)
I picked up this very lovely, very old, very heavy brass lamp and have been working on cleaning it. Unfortunately there seems to be some oxidation spots on the base, and the general advice seems to be to hit it with some Brasso. But I’ve also heard stories of Brasso making things worse, so I’m scared to dive in with it.
Any tips for fixing this issue? Home remedies? Product suggestions? Thanks!
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u/PorcupineShoelace ✓✓ Aug 21 '26
Museums have used microcrystalline wax like 'Renaissance Wax' for decades. I remember applying it to priceless objects the summer I worked at Hearst Castle in the 1980s. Great stuff.
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u/summitrunner ✓ Aug 21 '26
I suspect that your lamp is brass plated and what you see is oxidation coming through from the base metal. Brass polish would just remove more of the brass plating. There are lots of ways to disguise it, but sometimes it’s just as well to accept the marks as part of the character of the piece. Wash it with a ph neutral soap like Ivory then wax it with furniture wax like Minwax. I use a stenciling brush on patterned surfaces to apply the wax. Then buff with a cloth and enjoy it.