How to CLEAN antique Alabaster / And not RUIN it! 

Well, that’s Alabaster...what other antique items would you like to hear top tips on?

I didn't know about water and alabaster, useful tip. Thank you. Beautiful piece.

I just purchased a vintage item made of alabaster and before it arrives I immediately wanted to learn the proper way to clean it. Thank you for providing this educational video😊

We just purchased a 130 year old alabaster bust of Apollo and this video was immensely helpful, thank you!

Thank you! Loved all your information.

Thank you for that David, most informative. Just bought an alabaster urn/jug which was about to go into the sink to be washed eeek ! thank heavens I googled this video. Have you any idea how to clean up oil paintings please, got some small ones inset into different items

Quality content David. There should be more subscribers!

Very informative David if I had it the first thing I'd do is wash it goes to show you should listen to the expert brilliant

I was at a thrift store accompanying my daughter, whilst waiting, they brought from the back the new arrivals, a couple of identical pieces caught my eye, I went to grab them and they were so heavy, I didn't know what they were but I felt they were made of a fine material. I went home and I realized the pieces had a label at the bottom that said "GENUINE ALABASTER hand carved by Ducceschi. Made in Italy". I looked them up online, they're book ends made supposedly of natural colored alabaster (sand and a sort of turquoise blue). I paid $1.99 USD but they sell for around 1000 dollars online. These pieces seem to have a clear coating, they don't look like the maiden you just showed in this video, and I don't know what to use to remove the remaining glue from the price tag without damaging the items, they also marked them (foolishly) with permanent marker... How do I remove those too? Help🙏🏼

Thanks for that David. Very interesting. My OCD has been satisfied. That would be my Achilles heel. I like things to look clean and fresh, but I know that can very much be a no no when it comes to antiques.

Is white spirit a type of acetone? Or could acetone be substituted?

Is white spirits the same as mineral spirits from a paint store here in USA? Very informative, a ultra violet light in a dark room may bring out the blue stamp on the back as for words.

I have a couple of lamps that I cleaned this way, but the white spirit (mineral spirits here in the US) seems to have turned the seams of the lamp a slightly orange/yellow/amber color. Did I use too much and should just wait for it to dry? It seems to have lightened the long I wait, but certainly not to a creamy white. What did I do wrong?

David I really enjoyed watching you clean up the young maiden, she really is lovely. I thought I had a soapstone sculpture however after watching your video I think it may be alabaster, the statue is very soft and very white or was very white but not shiny like soapstone and very porous. I received it 35 years ago and it was scratched shortly after I received it so I put it up on a shelf where no one could easily touch it. I have just moved and when I brought it down to pack I was mortified to find it had quite a lot of light brown oily film on it. I think because this was a smokers house 25 years ago it may be nicotine. Wondering first how do you tell if it is alabaster vrs soapstone and if it is nicotine stains will white spirit remove the oil? There are no signature, marks or stamps so I don't think it is valuable, but it is treasured by me. Anything you could tell me would be appreciated. I am in Canada and I have never heard of White Spirit, would it have another name? Thankyou so much Sandra

Wow David thank you so much had no idea about Alabaster - is it the same for onyx and marble? - Alberto Cambi's work is fabulous - how can you bear to part with her!

Thank you for this useful information. I have one question, like Alabaster, can Parian ware also be cleaned by white spirit?

I've sometimes wondered if the items that are sold on Bargain Hunt have to be sold 'as found' or whether the auction house was allowed to give them a quick wipe or dust, etc.

Hi David, just wondering about the alabaster cleaning, is it not the same as taking out the patination in another antiques that people love to see and actually adds value to?

What is "white spirit?" Is it the same as mineral spirits?

Hello David! Alabaster is fantastic material, i bought a alabaster sculpture but sadly some barbarian once painted it with the clear lacquer and it takes away all the charm of sculpture. What you recommend to take of this lacquer? I tried a little with white spirit but sadly it didnt take off lacquer away. Please help.

I purchased an item (set of chandelier shades) that was advertised as natural alabaster stone, but when it a arrived, it lacked the creamy-ivory color I expected, though it was definitely not glass nor marble; It felt fake, lighter in weight than the shattered shades they were to replace. Whereas alabaster looks much like extremely pale skin, with tiny striations forming an identifiable, yet very tiny grain, what received resembles a translucent white-grey "rock candy" with a few random brownish streaks embedded in the material. Could it be these are made of quartz? Do you know how to tell what the material is, or whether a guide exists for identifying the material? Thanks so, so much if you can help me sort this out. Though the internet seems to have nearly everything on it, and youtube videos on nearly every subject, I can't find anything about distinguishing alabaster from similar materials people might try to substitute, be they natural or synthetic. Any help so deeply appreciated!

What about air drying or blowing the dust away gently?

bonjour on dirait bien ,le portrait d'une Alsacienne vu la coiffure typique de cette région française

Oh no 🤦‍♀️ I just bought a beautiful bust from an antique flea market and washed it with water because I didn’t know it was alabaster. Ah! Any recommendations on how to rectify this?

👍

Hello David Are “white spirits” the same as Mineral Spirits?

wont the spirits make it stink?

I was wondering - I've seen a lot of similar busts, late 19th/early 20 century Italian in marble and/or alabaster, that have the same small dimensions and even a similar marble base, like this www.liveauctioneers.com/item/108412238_marble-and-alabaster-bust-by-e-castellucci Even has the same "Made in Italy" on the back. Were these common? Were they portraits made for tourists or something?