Very nice …stamped CPR, it’s pretty hefty, obviously a lot of silver in it, even the soldering. Do not know too much about it outside of the fact that it wandered around the rails in Saskatchewan, likely in a heavyweight dining car. It came from an ex-boyfriend of the neighbour wife’s mom, who worked for the CPR back in the day, and he got it from his uncle, also a CPR employee. Believe it came from Regina as that is where they lived, but never mind that stuff…
…So fellow Forum members, do I polish this teapot or do I leave it as is with its patina intact?
Looks great on small table under the T1 Baldwin reproduction print from the T1 group.
Alas…To polish or not to polish? that is the question.
It’s a pretty simple shape - not a lot of nooks and crannies - so polishing it shouldn’t take too long. If it does, then just do it less often.
Besides, what do you have in your air up there to corrode it so it’d have to be polished often? It’s not riding behind a steam locomotive (sadly), and not much sulfur or stuff like that around in the atmosphere any more.
I use Simicrome polish. It works great. As for tea, you need some railroad tea. I have a 60 year old B&O tea bag that I display with my B&O tea set. By the way, railroad silver is almost always silver plate. Sterling would be way too light to stay put on a vibrating, shaking dining car tanle.
The logo is extremely ornate with all the swirls…turn of the Century., I have seen it before on CPR posters and pamphlets …definitely back in the 4-4-0 days… .it is stamped ‘International O GO’ or ‘GC’ on the bottom.
I’m wondering if it refers to International Nickel Co. or perhaps International service as in the Soo-Dominion which ran into Saskatchewan.
I will polish this up and find out where I can get it relined as per Overmods advice.
Hi, It is probably International Silver Co. If you go to this website: http://www.silvercollection.it/INTERNATIONALSILVERCO.html You may be able to decipher more information. Good luck, enjoy the beautiful piece and Happy & Healthy New Year to you! (By the way, here is your pot when shined up)
I got a “consult” with Lady Firestorm on this, since we’ve both been antiquers since high school, and our judgement is…
Go ahead and polish it, BUT, use a non-abrasive polish like Tarn-Ex, Never-Dull, or Dura-Glit. These are polishes that use a fabric base impregnated with a chemical polish. Any of those will shine it up and won’t abrade the plating.
If it’s solid silver (it probably isn’t, but you never know) there will be hallmarks somewhere on it to indicate the same, especially if it’s a British produced piece. Anything plated won’t have hallmarks so you have to be careful when polishing.
Check this site and it’s various links for further information, and the piece you have is referred to as “holloware.”
Thank you for the tips and information Firelock. Fortunate for me to have great neighbours, they thought I would appreciate it. It was quite a nice Christmas surprise. Yes it is silver plated and is exactly as shown in the photograph from pajrr. I will be careful when polishing.
