pactong

[NITA EDWARDS]

I visited a stately home today and the fire baskets and surround were a beautiful silver coloured metal which doesn`t tarnish. The guide said it was called PACTONG ,I cannot find any references anywhere and my husband who worked with semi-precious metals all his life has never heard of it. Do any of you AB`s know anything about it ??? PLEASE!

[theprof]

Although it's pronounced "Pactong", this alloy is actually spelt "Pakthong".

Pakthong, otherwise known as German Silver or more commonly, Nickel Silver is a generic term for any of various white metal alloys containing typically 52-80% copper, 10-35% zinc, and 5-35% nickel. It sometimes also contains a small percentage of tin and lead.

The percentages I quoted above are typical but they can vary widely depending on the final use of the product. Because of this, other sources may provide you with different percentage figures.

Incidentally, nickel silver is not totally resistant to tarnishing.

[NITA EDWARDS]

Thank you so much, theprof.My husband said it was nickol silver!

[theprof]

Thinking a bit further on this, could I ask if the house was a National Trust or similar property?

The wife has dragged me along to more than one of these houses in the past and the metalwork is always sparkling. The NT is well known for having it's own secret formulations of polishes and other cleaning materials.

I think what you've seen seen is more a case of polish, elbow grease and possibly lacquering rather than a tarnish resistant metal per se.

[NITA EDWARDS]

It was Corsham Court in Corsham nr chippenham wilts. It`s owned by Lord Methuan and is privately run. the lady guide said all it needed was a duster run over it

[theprof]

Thanks Nita.

Funnily enough, I visited Corsham Court myself in 2001 when I was was working at a couple of nearby government establishments.

I remember seeing these items myself and your husband is right, they were unmistakably lacquered nickel silver.