JACKSON HILL ANTIQUES & INTRRS

I called to ask about an inspection of antique silver that may have been damaged by recent severe floods. I also asked about inspection of other materials, since this business advertises itself as an antiques business. Respondent initially agreed to look at select silver pieces in order to determine damage. After I cautioned her that some flood-damaged, primarily porous paper items--but not my silver--might pose a health risk because of microbial contamination, she became alarmed and wanted to end the conversation. I offered this information as advice that was not directly relevant to my inquiry. After some discussion, she refused to help me determine the condition of two historic collections of flatware and seemed unable to understand that these two issues were unrelated. The conversation ended with the respondent unwilling to discuss her lack of information further and with an irrational, ignorant refusal to inspect the silver. She did not seem to understand that there was little risk to her from handling it. This person seems to be completely ignorant of the physical and chemical properties of the metal she buys and sells: 1) She did not seem to understand that silver is not chemically inert, unlike gold, and can be unsafe to use when in prolonged contact with some types of organic compounds (food). Silver actively interacts with many elements and compounds. She would not reveal her cleaning and testing techniques and gave no indication that she understood how they work or their degree of safety vis a vis silver's chemical potential to interact with other elements and compounds. 2) She also did not seem to know that silver is an anti-microbial element that is frequently used as a post-surgical dressing for its ability to inhibit bacterial growth. The contamination from water infiltration on silver is potentially negligible both because it is not porous and because silver has a known ability to control microbial growth. This person seems to have no knowledge of toxicity issues nor of the physical and chemical properties of the material she sells that comes in contact with food for human consumption. I would not trust her understanding of cleaning techniques nor her ability to assess whether a particular silver product is safe or unsafe for serving food. If you buy and sell a precious metal used to serve food or that comes in contact with human mucous membranes or other means of absorption into the human body, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an understanding of its scientific properties--both toxicities and risks of long-term exposure.