Polish Or Not To Polish??.

[HisMastersVoice]

I'd leave it alone as well. Shiny brass and old paint look odd together. It takes a very long time to get a patina like that, once you polish it away, it will never look the same again in your lifetime.

[phonogfp]

This is just my opinion, but with nickel plating, cabinet finish, and horn paint as nice as that, I'd polish the brass by hand - - no power tools. I'd use a non-abrasive (or very light abrasive) brass polish, lots of soft, clean old rags, and lots of elbow grease. In my opinion, having the brass shinier would be more balanced with the condition of the rest of the machine.

Ultimately, you won't go wrong either way - make it look the way you prefer. But that's only if you're going to keep the machine. If you're planning to sell it, I wouldn't polish. Some collectors prefer the oxidation.

George P.

[Andersun]

My attitude is if the horn is very dented and needs to be straitened, I will have it cleaned and polished. If the horn is just tarnished and the dents are acceptable, I leave it as is.

As far as what you should do, I think all here have given you some good guidance. But in the end, it's your horn and I wouldn't have any issues on whatever you decide to do with it. Either way it will look good in that room. I don't know why, but brass and green plants really go well together!

Steve

[Bruce]

Interesting advice from everyone. It really seems like personal preference, as to polish or not to polish.

Fortunately I tend to acquire more "used" machines which need work to restore their beauty. As such I do not have a choice and I polish using a polishing wheel with various sized pads. The polishing covers or removes the burnishing marks where I have removed previous damage to the horns and as such is not an option.

I like to leave machines as close to original but if it needs work then my question is how would the owner keep the machine. At the turn of the century these machines were prize possessions and I am quite certain the owners would clean them and put a little elbow grease into their cherished items once and awhile.

I respect my fellow collectors opinions but nothing makes me sadder to see a Trademark covered in 100 + years of grime and barn dust. But to keep its value that is what collectors must do.

Bruce

[Steve]

This all sounds a little bit paranoid to me - a dose of coin collector's panic, maybe?

Brass horns were originally sold with a mirror finish shine to them, whether or not they were lacquered. Antique gramophones are not old coins where the value disintegrates when you clean them up. I believe (only a guess here) that this is in part due to the fact that "money changes hands" frequently and the age and patina of an old coin somehow demonstrates its status aqnd usage within a particular society. A coin might have passed through thousands of hands to be a genuine period piece. If it is as bright as a 'New Penny' it's value is lost because this is not what would be expected of its condition. In other words, collectors want to see and feel part of its history. But at the end of the day we're talking dirty here, plain and simple. Patina = age + dirt.

On the other hand, a talking machine would not normally be expected to have lived a life outside in the open and in some instances might have only ever had one owner. A bright shiny horn might offend those with delicate sensibilities who are sickened to see so many horrible quality ugly reproduction horns in existence, but in reality this is what the horn was supposed to look like. Do vintage car owners drive around in cars with peeling paintwork and rusty, dirty chromework? Polishing gramophone and phonograph horns is not a crime against their historical integrity.

Brass tarnishes fairly quickly anyway unless you live in a very hot climate. I have a Concert Automatique Francaise which had had its horn machine polished before I got to it. I would agree that you MUST polish these horns BY HAND. Under no circumstances would I recommend the use of heavy machines to clean them. Fine scratches are very difficult to polish out afterwards and give the finish that most brass items in junk shops have. It's not pleasant to view in a good light. Anyway, this brass horn was lightly polished by hand by me afterwards to remove some of the tell-tale signs of the machine polishing. This was 4 years ago and it looked almost nickel and very very bright and mirror like. Already the horn has gone a fantastic deep golden colour. I really hope it will stay that way for a good many years but I know it will get duller and more of a brownish colour with time. Before it was polished it was a flat dull and near bronze colour.

All I'm saying is that it's your choice and you needn't worry about damaging the authenticity of the machine by polishing the horn. It's not an old coin.

[briankeith]

Everyone that has a dull looking dirty old brass horn - please send them all to me instead of polishing them. I'll take them all "as-is" if you pay the shipping to me as well.

[HisMastersVoice]

Do vintage car owners drive around in cars with peeling paintwork and rusty, dirty chromework?

Some do, yes.

[FloridaClay]

In your opinion, can it worth polishing my brass horn?

Humm. Well, doublemike, as you can see from this thread opinions abound and if you get 10 collectors in a room you will get 10 variations. For my 2 cents, if this horn were mine and I planned to keep it awhile, I would clean it up because to my eye the brass looks splotchy and uneven and I suspect it could be on its way to damaging corrosion. You will get an even tone and if you like an aged look that will come before long if you don’t lacquer it.

But the bottom line is that it is your machine and your choice. What would please you is the real question.

Clay

[Steve]

Steve wrote:
Do vintage car owners drive around in cars with peeling paintwork and rusty, dirty chromework?


Some do, yes.

LOL! Yes, I asked for that. Maybe I should have said "Do proud and fussy owners of vintage cars drive around .....?"

I know over here we have a lot of collectors of machines that stack them up (in some instances to hold their houses up!!) and leave them dirty, rusty, seized up, unloved and not displayed. These people by default definitely wouldn't be seen dead polishing their horns.

But then I say, what's the purpose or point to that type of collecting? That's just hoarding and one step away from....er....MADNESS!

[HisMastersVoice]

LOL! Yes, I asked for that. Maybe I should have said "Do proud and fussy owners of vintage cars drive around .....?"

I'll admit I was out at 7am yesterday morning with the spray wax and tire shine before I took the Corvair to work.

But then I say, what's the purpose or point to that type of collecting? That's just hoarding and one step away from....er....MADNESS!

I agree. My machines are kept clean, oiled, dusted, and proudly displayed. I just personally think the black and brass horns look better unpolished. I would probably polish an all brass or nickel horn, however.