Antiques & Collecting: Biscuits in a box

The English spoken in England can sometimes confuse an American because the same word can mean different things in the two countries. Almost every tourist learns that in England a “lift” is an elevator. But who has been warned that an English “biscuit” is what an American calls a “cookie,” and that an American biscuit, also called “shortbread,” is a British scone?

Several English silver-plated biscuit boxes were sold at a Neal auction recently along with labeled rectangular wooden boxes and covers, and decorated tin boxes filled with loose cookies (biscuits) for the store. One of the silver boxes was made by James Dixon & Sons, a well-known Sheffield manufacturer that worked from 1804 to 1992. It is almost 11 inches high. Each of the shell-shaped bowls had a hinged, pierced flap that kept the heat and the biscuits in place when the sides were opened and became flat bowls to serve the cookies. The flaps are often missing when the biscuit box is sold.

How can I clean the marble top on an antique chest? The chest is probably over 100 years old. There are some stains on the marble that look like some kind of liquid spilled on it.

The easy way is to buy a commercial marble stain remover. You can also try a home remedy. Wash the marble top with dishwashing liquid and hot water, rinse well and dry thoroughly. Use a soft cloth or a bristle brush if needed. Then you can try one of the many do-it-yourself methods.

Different solutions clean different types of stains. If the marble is a light color, try a mixture of several tablespoons of 6% hydrogen peroxide and a tablespoon of baking soda. Mix into a thick paste, the consistency of peanut butter. Spread it in a 1/4-inch-thick layer on the stain. Cover with plastic wrap, tape the edges and let it dry for 24 hours. Use a plastic (not metal) spatula or a damp sponge to remove the paste, rinse and buff dry. Repeat the process if necessary. Recipes for the mixture use 6% to 12% hydrogen peroxide. Some add a little ammonia and more baking soda. There are many mixtures mentioned online. Good luck. Some stains can’t be removed.

Current Prices

Textile, apron, Odd Fellows, cotton, All-Seeing Eye, classical female figures, leaves, green grosgrain ribbon, 1800s, 17 x 16 inches, $60.

Sewing machine, B. Eldredge Automatic, black, flower decoration, stamped needle plate, plaque on base, National Sewing Machine Co., 9 x 14 inches, $105.

Toy, train set, Twin Train, tin lithograph, track base with city graphics, hills, two windup trains, signal device, Technofix, Bim Bam on box, 24 inches, $240.

Cast iron, cigar cutter, round, tab handle, embossed dish base, marked, James G. Blaine, Brunhoff Mfg. Co., Cincinnati, 5 x 6 1/4 inches, $355.

Tip: If you have new, shiny, silvery-looking pewter collector’s plates, don’t use any form of abrasive cleaner on them.