Cleaning the case of an iron front clock?

[GeneJockey]

I've always been warned about removing the "patina" of antique furniture and destroying their value. Does this also apply to antique clocks? Is it OK to clean off 100 years of grime if you don't refinish?

This gets me to my question. I have an Ansonia iron mantle clock - I think that it is called the Paris - it has ram's heads on the sides instead of lions heads. See Old Timers Clocks.com (http://account.goantiques.com/search/item_detail.jsp?id=240614&sitefrom=www.oldtimersclocks.com) for an identical clock (except mine doesn't have feet). Mine is dirtier and it is difficult to see the gold in the "carvings", and the adamantine inserts look black. Is there a good method to clean the case to bring back the details? Also, someone had put gold paint on the ram's heads. What was the original gold finish and how can you replicate it?

One last question, regarding this clock. The original bezel and glass are missing, but the pie-crust edged pan and half the hinge remains. Is it possible to attach a new bezel and glass (like from LaRose) to the old pan?
Thanks for any advice that you might have.
Ed

Edited to shorten the live URL string

[This message was edited by Phil Schilke on April 29, 2003 at 16:26.]

[GeneJockey]

I've always been warned about removing the "patina" of antique furniture and destroying their value. Does this also apply to antique clocks? Is it OK to clean off 100 years of grime if you don't refinish?

This gets me to my question. I have an Ansonia iron mantle clock - I think that it is called the Paris - it has ram's heads on the sides instead of lions heads. See Old Timers Clocks.com (http://account.goantiques.com/search/item_detail.jsp?id=240614&sitefrom=www.oldtimersclocks.com) for an identical clock (except mine doesn't have feet). Mine is dirtier and it is difficult to see the gold in the "carvings", and the adamantine inserts look black. Is there a good method to clean the case to bring back the details? Also, someone had put gold paint on the ram's heads. What was the original gold finish and how can you replicate it?

One last question, regarding this clock. The original bezel and glass are missing, but the pie-crust edged pan and half the hinge remains. Is it possible to attach a new bezel and glass (like from LaRose) to the old pan?
Thanks for any advice that you might have.
Ed

Edited to shorten the live URL string

[This message was edited by Phil Schilke on April 29, 2003 at 16:26.]

[GeneJockey]

Thank you Phil!