Tags
18th century, authenticity, cleaning, common people, interpretation, living history, maids, Research, women's history, women's work
It has been quite busy chez Calash, with What Cheer Day a little over a week away, the Warren Commission happening tomorrow, and various and sundry other things to do, like get a Young Giant into college. But results were promised and results you shall have.
Despite my lack of chemistry knowledge, I made and used the pewter-cleaning liquor with some success.
The pewter plate spent some time sitting on its edge in a basin of the liquor, and the line is pretty clearly visible in the first image. The second shows the plate after being cleaned with the liquor and a wool rag. It’s better than it was, but there are still more experiments to do. I’d apply rottenstone, but the container hasn’t made it back to New England yet, the posts being poor and the roads infernal.
As the silver bowl demonstrates, rottenstone on its own is remarkably effective at removing polish. It is certainly a fairly readily-available, non-toxic, period method of cleaning metals (andirons and fenders to plates and punch bowls) that can be easil;y employed.
Kitty Calash 
Wow, rottenstone–I’ve heard of it, but didn’t know what it was or what it was for. What’s it made of? And did it smudge your GORGEOUS tattersall blue and white apron or the very cute fitted jacket?
The check linen apron is already filthy, and I got spots on the gown and stomacher whilst cleaning the table. I am, as Drunk Tailor notes fairly often, hopeless about getting dirty and slightly injuring myself.
Aw, perhaps if you turn the apron and use the “wrong side”?
N