Text Box:     Frequently Asked Questions  Table of Contents 1. How do I get an estimate? 2. How long does it take? 3. How do I know if the piece is worth refinishing? 4. Will plating fill in the engraving? 5. Does replating ruin the value of my piece?   How do I get an estimate?  We really need to see the piece to give an accurate estimate. You can E-mail us a picture or call us with the description of your item. The best option is to simply ship the item to us with your name, address and phone number and a request for an estimate of the work you'd like to have done and we'll contact you with an estimate before proceeding. If at that point you choose not to have the work done, we will simply ship the item back to you at no charge (except for insurance over $100). "WOW! That was a great repair job you did on my 1793 tea pot.  I didn't know that it could be made to look so much better, because it was in such a mess when you received it.  I am recommending you to everybody!"  Luther - antique dealer - SC.   How long does it take?  Repair and refinishing times will vary. On average our lead times are approximately 12 -14 weeks. During busy seasons this may be longer.   How do I know if the piece is worth refinishing?  First of all, we must stress that we are not qualified appraisers! We do, however, have some idea of what is collectible or valuable, so we always try to make our customers aware of when the cost of refinishing far outweighs the value of their item. In cases like that, we leave it entirely up to the customer to decide if the sentimental value of their item warrants spending the money to have it refinished. A good rule of thumb is that if you like a piece, use it, or it has sentimental value, it’s probably worth refinishing. "The silver work arrived.  I never thought you would be able to work out as much of the circular crease in that small plate as you did.  Both items look much better than I had hoped for.  Many thanks."  Bob - collector - MN   Will plating fill in the engraving?  No! This is a common concern with our customers, but we can assure you that if a piece is polished and plated properly, the engraving will not be affected. The only time engraving can be “filled in” or removed is when the plater uses a base coat of nickel, which is thicker than silver, or if the polisher, in prepping the piece, is not careful and polishes the engraving out. We will make you aware if the engraving is too light to begin with or if there are any scratches or pits near the engraving that can't be removed without damaging the engraving.   Does replating ruin the value of my piece?  This is a very common misconception. The answer is almost always no! In years of research, we have found that if a piece is electroplated to begin with, having it re-electroplated will simply restore it to it’s original beauty. The process we use to plate items has remained virtually unchanged since the turn of the century. We specialize in replating antiques. We work with antique dealers and collectors nationwide because we don't make the pieces look brand new, we make them look restored. Most of our competitors use nickel as a base coat, which can give silverplated items a chromey or cheap look. We apply the silver directly to the base metal, which is the process that should be used. The only time you definitely shouldn't resilver a piece is if it is “Sheffield” plate. These pieces are fairly rare and were silvered by rolling a thin layer of pure silver over copper. "Thank you for the beautiful redo of the silver plated candelabra!", " Lovely work throughout, especially the tea set and the goldwash on the tea set!" - Mike - antique dealer/auctioneer - NY 320 NC Highway 197 South Bakersville, NC 28705 Tel: (828) 688-9998 Toll Free: (800) 332-6857 Fax: (828) 688-9976 oexning@aol.com

Text Box:   Premier Silver Restoration Company

Text Box: Oexning Silversmiths 320 Highway 197 South Bakersville, NC, 28705

Text Box: To contact us: