What is this metal?

Hi, I just got this Stiffel lamp at a garage sale. It is very tarnished and pitted so I’m hoping to clean it. But I can’t tell what this metal is. It looks like some silver metal covered in a yellow lacquer which peels off very easily. The metal is not magnetic. Can someone help me figure out what this is and how to clean it? I really appreciate your help.

 

Hi Carolina,
Sounds like white brass. You need to remove all the yellow lacquer and really buff it up. I use jewelers rouge and then relacquer. This is especially if you live near the oceans. If inland you can try using a good wax job.
greg

 

This is what Wikipedia says about white brass:

White brass Copper < 50 (percent), Zinc > 50 (percent). These are too brittle for general use. The term may also refer to certain types of nickel silver alloys as well as Cu-Zn-Sn alloys with high proportions (typically 40%+) of tin and/or zinc, as well as predominantly zinc casting alloys with copper additives. These have virtually no yellow coloring at all, and instead have a much more silvery appearance.

So that term can refer to more than one thing. Does that make any difference?

 

Could be spelter too.

 

Can you take more pictures, underneath base and any markings or numbers?