Cleaning a Napoleonic travelling set

This Napoleonic silver travelling service was acquired by Queen Mary in 1934 and has been on display at Windsor Castle for much of the time since. Its contents – which range from tea caddies to candlestick holders – are made from silver, which can tarnish and darken over time as it reacts to the environment. As a result, the service required cleaning to restore its surfaces to their original bright appearance.

Royal Collection Trust conservators used solvents and a mild chalk abrasive to remove the tarnish. A whole range of silver pieces in the Collection has been prepared in this way for a catalogue.

Watch the video below to learn more about the cleaning of this extraordinary object.